


Infested: Ghost of the Past

by Morphiina



Series: Infested [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Action, Aftermath of Torture, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alien Invasion, Alternate Universe, Anal Sex, Angst, BAMF Loki (Marvel), BAMF Tony Stark, Background Vision/Wanda, Blood and Gore, Blow Jobs, But I promise you will all enjoy the end of part 2!, Darkfic, Death, Drinking, Drugging, ENDING SPOILER: Part 1 doesn't end happy, FrostIron - Freeform, Guns, Hand Jobs, Horror, Hurt/Comfort, Infestation, Injury, Kidnapping, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Military, POV Tony Stark, Pining, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Prepare for Upsetti Spaghetti, Protective Tony Stark, Psionics, Rhodey is a good friend, Rough Sex, Science Fiction, Smut, Some Humor, Suicidal Ideation, Telekinesis, Torture, Underage Drinking, Underage Drug Use, Violence, War, Weapons, bad language, mindreading
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-27
Updated: 2019-06-26
Packaged: 2020-03-13 10:56:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 97,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18939526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Morphiina/pseuds/Morphiina
Summary: It's been years since Tony Stark, now a special task force marine of the Terran SHIELD corps, had seen or heard from Loki. But now, with the rising threat of alien invasion becoming critical, Tony finds himself reunited with his old highschool love interest; now a fully-fledged stealth operative; as they are assigned a dangerous mission together.But not everything is as it seems, and it wouldn't take much for this dangerous mission to go horribly, horribly wrong.Part 1 of 2





	1. Ghost Of The Past

**Author's Note:**

> NOTE: This AU is based in the universe of the Starcraft series and very loosely parallels the plotline of the 1998 game. That said, **it is not at all necessary to have played or know anything about it, as I will be describing everything in detail.**

  
[(Full Image)](https://i.ibb.co/RbR5JRF/Infested-copy.png)

Planet Arius-3. A hot, dry wasteland primarily; sand, salt plains, dunes, more sand, jagged red mountains, bland landscape, sand, the very occasional armored succulent. Did I mention the sand? Electro-statically charged dust particulates finer than talcum powder in a dry environment was a recipe for sticky-ass cornstarch in every crevice wider than the gaps between zipper teeth. By this point, the locals just accepted that a grainy asscrack was a part of life on this sub-terraformed shithole.

This dustball, which spun around a tad too close to a red dwarf star on the outskirts of the fringe worlds, was just barely habitable by Terran standards. The atmosphere hadn't even been fully seeded when the Confederacy started shipping off troops to set down base years ago. The air was breathable without a mask by this point, but the oxygen levels were less than ideal; akin to the high-altitude regions of old Earth. Mild hypoxia was fairly common for soldiers who spent too much time outside the barracks without a combat suit.

The atmosphere and magnetic field were still works in progress, which meant it wasn't a great idea to run around outside naked anyway on account of the subpar UV shielding. Not that anyone really worried about skin cancer in the Marine Corps. There were at least a thousand ways a soldier could die out here in the harsh frontier of the Koprulu Sector; which only increased the further out into the fringe and outer worlds they were deployed. The idea of living long enough to die from skin cancer was optimistic at best.

There were far worse ways to die, anyway.

Tony grumbled in irritation as he tried to work the sand grains out of his ear. He'd been stationed on this godsforsaken planet for two years and he still hadn’t quelled the futile reflex to rid himself of the dust. He’d take grease and soot over the maddening powder any day. Why didn't he just become an engineer like his father?

“You gonna break your eardrum.” Came the voice of James Rhodes, his best friend, lounging in the seat beside him. The man was chewing on a toothpick, and you could hear it in his voice.

“That only applies to cotton swabs, bud.” Tony shot back. But he dropped his hand anyway, abandoning the doomed attempt. He stroked at his tidy, shaped beard with his other hand and slumped down in his seat a bit more when the transport hit another bump. He was getting damn sick of this rough ride.

“My mama always told me that when I picked at my ears.”

“That's called a wives tale, they use ‘em to scare dumbass kids like you into good behavior.”

“I don't know man, my buddy Robbie in highschool went deaf in one ear and I always heard it's ‘cause he picked at it.” Rhodey insisted.

“Robbie Carter? That kid shoved a fucking pencil in his ear, pal. Sharp side. Of course he went deaf.”

“It is true, I was there.” Came another low voice from across the aisle. Thor Odinson sat bent over, elbows resting on his knees, fiddling with his dogtag in his hands. The man had recently received a haircut, having had enough of the dust caking in his long hair; and the compound’s self-proclaimed barber had made a horror scene of it. The hair was a choppy mess with gouge marks along the sides. All said, it did look pretty good compared to those sweaty greaselocks. A hot, dry, dusty planet was not a conducive environment to a luscious blond mane.

“It was quite horrific.” Thor continued.

“You were one of the ones egging him on, weren't you?” Tony accused.

“…I may have told him that a true man and warrior would not back down from a challenge.” Thor admitted with a wince.

“Well, hey; kid got a cool cybernetic ear out of it, so it's all good.” Tony grinned. “Hears better than the rest of us now!”

Rhodey threw his hands up, “Aight, don't know why I bother with you.”

Tony pat him on the shoulder. “Appreciate the concern, mom.”

Rhodey crossed his arms. “You know I don't have to be here with you right now. I'm not the one in trouble for dumb fuckery.”

Metallic footsteps clinked along and the trio glanced up. Steve Rogers, their squad Captain, was making his way down the aisle, grabbing handholds as he went. He was a bulky man, and took up a good majority of the aisle.

“Cap’n.” Rhodey greeted with a nod.

Steve nodded back. “Arriving in 30.” He stated shortly.

“Oh thank god.” Tony breathed. “I'm too hyperactive to sit for 8 straight hours.”

“How’s economy class?” Steve asked, looking between Tony and Thor pointedly.

“Oh the lack of shock absorption is fantastic, I’d feel it if we ran over a pea. My ass is real happy with these plastic seats.” Tony said with mock enthusiasm. “10/10, would ride again.”

“It has been terribly unpleasant, I believe I am even experiencing motion sickness.” Thor said truthfully. He did look a bit pale.

“Maybe you two will think twice before disobeying orders next time, then.” Steve chided.

“Eh, I wouldn't put too much faith in us.” Tony smirked at Thor. “We’re too dumb to waste energy on that.” Thor smiled brightly back at him with that usual doofy expression.

Steve shook his head and sighed. “I do often wonder why I bother.” He had a tired look to his eyes. That wasn't too unusual; for any of them.

The Captain went to turn back when Tony spoke up again. “Any idea what this mission is about, Cap?”

The large blonde glanced back at Tony. “I told you before we left, all the files are locked under a much higher level clearance than I have access to. We won't know until we receive our briefing.”

“Mm, yeah most of the files are high level, agreed. But I did find an interesting one with a slightly lower, more hackable clearance lock.” Tony flicked the holographic interface on his wrist implant, throwing a hologram out into the middle of the aisle. A screen took shape; the SHIELD database UI, and a list of files.

“Took me a few hours, but I finally pieced it together.” Tony grinned, scrolling through to reach the file in question. Thor and Rhodey were gazing at the floating box curiously.

Steve looked a mixture of exasperated and angry. “Really, Tony? Hacking the SHIELD database while serving punishment for another rule breach?”

“What can I say? Curiosity killed the cat.”

“You're more like an annoying lapdog.” Steve crossed his arms. “You're going to get us all iced, Stark.”

“Pfft, it's not like we’re replaceable.” Tony brushed off. He finally found and opened up the file. The air was suddenly filled with strange, detailed schematics and research documents. Even Steve wasn't too high and mighty to avert his eyes, and glanced over the files with a masked expression.

“What am I looking at?” Rhodey asked.

“I have a theory, but…” Tony flicked his finger and pulled up a live video feed of Bruce Banner, who was currently on the other side of the transport. The man’s hair was messy, and he had a funny imprint on the side of his face like he’d been sleeping on something.

“What's up, Tony? How’s prison?”

“Hey buddy, prison’s great, the food’s top notch. I'm sending you a file; what do you make of these schematics?”

The image of Bruce rubbed the sleep from his eye. He moved his hands like he was working the holographic interface on his end, then glanced up as the files appeared around his head.

“Looks like… some kind of emitter?”

“Mhm, what else?”

“I'm not gonna condone another one of your attempts at weaponizing rock music, Tony.”

“Just humor me.”

“This…” Bruce frowned as he processed the information. “It runs on Khaydarin crystals? The hell kind of emitter is this?”

“I’m asking you.”

“Supposedly the Protoss use those crystals for their psionic matrices, so theoretically it could… I guess, behave as a psi emitter?”

The Protoss were an alien species that the Terrans neighbored this part of the galaxy with. They were a powerful and highly advanced race, and could likely easily wipe out the human population if they desired; but thankfully they hadn't given them a reason just yet, so the beings remained tolerant of their presence, and kept to themselves.

  
[(Full Image)](https://i.ibb.co/QndNgVM/protoss.png)

“Bingo, I arrived at the same conclusion.” Tony agreed.

“I've never seen technology like this before, and experiments with Khaydarin crystals are basically crack science. Where did you get this, Tony?”

“Thanks babe, see you for dinner.” Tony closed the feed before Bruce could say anything else.

“What is a… psi emitter?” Thor asked, head tilted in confusion.

“A device that emits psi waves.” Tony stated in an exaggerated tone, as though he was sarcastically explaining something obvious to a child.

“But what good would that do?” Rhodey thought out loud. “We hardly know anything about psi, doesn't seem like a great idea to just throw uncontrolled waves of it out into the air.”

“Agreed, sounds like a backfeed storm in the brewing. Which is bad news, considering concentrated psionic emanations can be lethal to anything organic.” Tony said. “More importantly, what does this mean for us and our mission?”

Steve looked to have reached the peak of his patience. “Guys, we’re likely going to find out within the hour. Can you just wait and hear it from the Director’s mouth?”

“Hey, you know me, I don't like going into a briefing ignorant. I need some kind of weapon in case Fury tries to keep us in the dark.”

“We’re soldiers, Tony. We don't need to know anything. We just need to follow orders.”

“Yeah, well, not all of us are good soldiers.”

“Clearly, or you'd be in the big cushioned seats with the rest of us.” Steve jabbed irritatedly. “First class meal was prime cut steak filet with this really amazing wine gravy, and potatoes straight from Shiloh. I imagine you could smell it from all the way back here. Shame you missed out.” With that, he finally turned and headed back down the aisle.

The trio glanced at each other for a long moment before Tony snorted a laugh, and they all smirked. Joke was on the Captain; Thor had managed to intimidate the transport servers into providing them all a first class meal as well. Tony didn't lie when he told Bruce the food was top notch.

Steve had been right after all; the gravy really was amazing.

 

They’d been warned that a dust storm was brewing outside when the transport docked. That meant masks up and goggles down when filing out of the vehicle. The air itself on Arius-3 might be relatively breathable, but a dust storm was bad news. A lot like trying to walk through a cloud of baby powder. It tickled the lungs and collected in the nostrils.

As Tony stepped down from the transport door, the air hazy with dust, he was hit by the warm particles whipping through the air. He was wearing a light-tan shirt with half-sleeves rolled up to just under his shoulders, dark cargo pants, knee-high boots and his usual shoulder holster vest heavy with ammo pouches and his side-arms. The blue glow of the power core implant at the center of his chest bounced against the laden atmosphere. His arms were quite exposed to the storm; it lightly scratched at the skin, like getting tickled by sandpaper. He knew it wouldn't be long before it got quite irritating.

He glanced over to see a pair of technicians unloading the vehicle, the world orange through his goggles. What looked like a giant, mechanical coat rack was lifting the massive CMC Powered Combat Suits from the cargo bay. These suits were worn by all marines; the armor contained a wide toolset of weaponry, greatly multiplied the user’s strength, and provided a pressurized micro-climate, which meant they could be used to traverse and fight in the most hostile of environments. He spotted his own suit easily, as it was quite different from the rest. It was a design of his own, which he called the Mark XLIX. The shape itself was pretty uniquely sleek compared to the excessively bulky CMC-400As (the standard elite marine combat suits), but what really made it stand out was the deep red trimmed with gold. People called him an ostentatious showoff for it and claimed that being a brightly-colored target would get him killed one day.

  
[ (Full Image)](https://i.ibb.co/LpBm1Zc/cmc.png)

Tony didn't pay any mind. Everyone knew why he was an elite class marine. They could tease all they wanted, but he had their respect. They knew what he could do with that machine. Besides, Firebat-model suits were red too and they got on fine. When they weren't too busy exploding from a gas leak.

Suddenly, he saw his suit jostle on the line, and his heart lurched.

Tony tugged down his mask. “Hey, be careful with my baby!” He shouted at the technicians. They didn't appear to hear him.

“That machine was built for war, man. You've had bullets and Hydralisk spines shot at it. You really worried a couple of technicians are gonna scratch it?” Rhodey scoffed, voice muffled under the filtered mask. Tony could see the man’s eyebrow raised even under the orange-lensed goggles.

“Hey, the difference is that I kill the enemies that put dents in my baby. I don't wanna have to get court-marshaled for killing technicians.”

“Put your damn mask back on. You want particulates shredding your lungs?”

Tony responded by choking on his words and coughing violently. He hurriedly pulled the mask back up over his mouth. He coughed into the mask and cleared his throat until the oxygen filtered through his lungs for a bit.

Tony, Rhodey and Thor walked along the side of the transport vehicle, boots crunching in the basalt gravel beneath their feet. Eventually the rest of the squad appeared through the dust, duffel bags thrown over their shoulders. Their squad consisted of Captain Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson, Clint Barton, Natasha Romanoff, Bruce Banner, and then Tony, Thor and Rhodey. A small squad by comparison, but they were a dream team of highly specialized individuals.

“You guys didn't get the bellhop service?” Tony teased, voice gravelly and strained from his dust encounter. “Guess economy is superior after all.”

“I mean, at least we won't have to go all the way to the check-in compound to pick up our shit.” Came the filtered voice of Clint Barton.

“Lets go, people.” Steve interrupted their exchange, his voice authoritative through the mask, and began walking towards the inner compound. “We’re on a deadline.”

As the group filed along, Bruce dropped back to walk next to Tony.

“So what the hell was with those psi emitter schematics?” He asked. The curiosity shone in his brown eyes behind the goggles.

Tony put a finger to the mouthpart of his own mask. “Shh, forget you saw anything.”

“Oh god, Tony, what did you do?”

“Hey, blame the Captain, he put me in a box with no toys. I had to do _something_.”

“He put you in timeout because you blew up a whole goddamn compound, Tony.”

“It's not my fault he was too much of a pussy to give the order. Thor agrees.”

“Ours was most certainly a reasonable call from where I stood.” Thor agreed.

“You guys could have easily died.” Rhodey chastised. “You had no idea how much time you had before that reactor blew.”

“I'll have you know that I knew exactly 46% of what I was doing.” Tony argued.

“Christ, Tony.” Bruce groaned.

“I would have followed at 25%.” Thor said loyally.

Tony pat the large man on the shoulder. “I might have to replace Rhodey with you as my new best friend.”

“You'd be dead without me.” Rhodey’s scowl oozed through his voice.

It wasn't long before the squad reached the building they were looking for; an extremely tall tower with a glass observatory at the top. Tony glanced up; the observatory was visible peeking out above the dust storm, illuminated by the red star reflecting on the glass panels. The tower had been designed specifically to rise above the typical dust storm’s maximum height. Tony hoped they were headed to the top. Seeing a dust storm swirl below was always neat.

As they filed in through the double set of doors and through the decontamination beams, they eachripped off their masks and wiped down their goggles before pulling them up to their heads. Steve flashed his holographic ID card at the Adjutant; one of a class of robotic AIs in the form of an upper body built from white metal, connected to the compound by a mass of black tubes. They were typically used to interact with a tactical database, to control all the basic automations of starships and compounds, to perform receptionist roles, and a variety of other services.

“Welcome, Captain Steven Rogers.” The Adjutant’s voice was female and artificial, with a cold echo and a posh accent. “The rest of your party awaits in the top floor briefing room. If you will please enter the lift down the hall, I will send you directly there.”

Steve frowned. “Rest of our party?” He turned to his team. “I guess Fury is matching us up with another squad?”

“Since when have we needed to work with another team?” Sam Wilson’s voice exuded annoyance. “We’ve got all our bases covered. We work best when it's just us. Fury knows that.”

“Could be technicians? Maybe we’re going to be working with beta tech.” Tony said with a light smirk. He wasn't doing the best job of feigning ignorance about that emitter.

Steve rolled his eyes at Tony’s insinuation. “Well, only one way to find out.”

The group followed the Adjutant’s directions and headed down to the large, central lift. That thing was spacious enough to fit a pair of Vulture bikes inside, and so when they all filed in, everyone had plenty of legroom. They were all thoughtfully quiet as the lift silently ascended; especially those privy to the psi emitter information. Even Steve, mister follows-orders-no-questions-asked, looked pensive.

The lift reached the top floor with a mild jolt, and the large doors slid open. A thin line on the floor lit up blue; the Adjutant’s path for them to follow. Steve lead the way, and doors opened automatically as they passed through the halls.

As a final set of doors opened for them, they found themselves in a large, spherical room surrounded by windows. Outside those windows was the thin, orange atmosphere, the stars and the setting sun. It was an alluring sight and Tony just wanted to take it in, but he forced himself to look away at the more important things he needed to observe at the moment.

The room itself was the typical functional gray and lined with several long tables complete with holographic emitters. Along one of the walls that wasn't windows stood a large data station with several screens that were currently dark. The walls were coated in a material Tony well-knew as insulation against any form of visual or audio eavesdropping, and he had a feeling that data station was isolated from the rest of the SHIELD database; this room was a place built to contain secrets.

The place was completely vacant, save three shadowy figures standing around a large briefing table. They were difficult to make out, but as Steve’s group drew nearer, their dark, one-piece uniforms become recognizable. They weren't wearing the outer armor, but there was no mistaking them.

“Ghosts?” Natasha Romanoff sounded perplexed.

It wasn't the first time Tony had encountered the mysterious Ghost operatives, but working with any would be a first. Steve’s squad was an offensive unit, and the only stealth tactics they used were Clint and Natasha’s cloaked ships. Ghosts, on the other hand, operated stealth missions 100% of the time and were supposedly not much use at all offensively.

Tony was desperately trying to put two and two together. A psi emitter and Ghosts? Both had a connection to psionics. Although the Ghost Program was highly classified even to his level of clearance, Tony understood that any person who showed signs of being potentially psionically gifted (a highly misunderstood and debated power originating in the mind that supposedly included mind reading and, in extremely rare cases, telekinesis) was taken away by the government to train in the Program. The two things were obviously related, but he couldn't begin to see what it had to do with his team.

One of the Ghosts stepped forward. It was a man with a trim beard similar to Tony’s and silver streaks at each side of his head. He wore a dark cloak over his Ghost uniform, and his gray eyes were sharp.

“Captain Rogers.” The man greeted. His voice was authoritative.

As he reached the Ghosts and stopped in front of the cloaked man, Steve extended a hand in greeting. “And you are?”

The cloaked man shook Steve’s hand with his own gloved one. “Stephen Strange.” With his free hand, he gestured behind him at the other two Ghosts. “These are Wanda Maximoff, and Vision.”

The other two; a brunette woman with intense eyes and a dirty-blonde man with a strong forehead; gave the Captain lazy salutes.

“I assume you're the rest of the party the Adjutant mentioned we’d be working with?” Steve inquired as they each dropped their hands.

Stephen nodded. “We await our Commander, but yes; we’ll be getting to know each other real well over the coming months.”

Steve looked surprised. “Months? This is going to be a long haul mission?” His team was highly flexible, but generally they were used for quick in-and-out missions. Hit and runs. Rarely lasted more than a week.

“I don't know all the details, but I hear we’re looking at a multi-level assignment. The Director will have more information on that front.”

“Speak of the Devil.” Came the soft, poshly-accented voice of Vision, just past the quiet hiss of a sliding door.

All assembled perked their heads up in the direction of the advancing footsteps. Two figures were heading their way. The first was easily recognizable; dark, bald, eyepatch, long coat; they all knew Director Fury. He looked as intense and means-business as ever.

The slender figure beside him, though. He wore an unarmored Ghost uniform, this one a bit different from the rest for the shoulder cutouts and green highlights. It took Tony a few moments to figure out why that pale face looked so familiar.

When it dawned on him, he froze, and the whole world dropped away as a cold chill went up through his veins.

There was no way. It was impossible.

He was seeing a ghost. A ghost that had haunted his dreams for years.

“Loki!” Came a thrilled shout beside him. Thor pushed past Tony, and muscled through the pack towards the advancing Fury and companion, nearly knocking a few people over as he went.

Loki smiled warmly as Thor approached. “Hello, brother.”

Thor had a hand over his mouth and tears in his eyes as he reached Loki, expression of disbelief; then he grabbed the smaller man and pulled him in for a big, tight hug.

“Gods, Loki, it has been 12 years; we thought you dead!” Thor’s voice wobbled with emotion as he crushed him in his embrace. He pulled back from the hug, still gripping Loki tight by the upper arms, looking him over. He had the biggest smile on his face. “I truly cannot believe my eyes!”

Back in the group, Rhodey put a hand on Tony’s shoulder. He had a concerned look on his face. “You alright?” He asked in a low voice. Rhodey was the only one who had any idea what he was dealing with right now.

Tony’s mind felt fuzzy as he tried to nod. He couldn't take his eyes off of Loki. It had been so, so very long since last he saw him. All the way back in highschool. 12 years ago, as Thor said. But it had felt like 100. By this point, he had been as convinced as the rest that he would never see Loki again.

He looked so different, now, and it was nearly as startling as the fact that he was even alive. His once-short raven-black hair was long and wavy, and swept over to one side. That skintight uniform revealed his figure; where once he was scrawny and malnourished, he was now lithe, lightly muscled and healthy-looking. His face was still the same; perhaps less childish now, but as beautifully carved and pale as he remembered. Yet that sullen, pained expression that contorted his youth was gone, alongside the dark eye circles and unhealthy gray tone. He practically glowed with confidence and energy now, and his eyes shone bright.

Literally, though. His mesmerizing green eyes were as vibrant as ever; but now they seemed to give off a mild green glow around the iris. Tony figured they were cybernetic. But they looked so much like he remembered.

“I've missed you too, Thor.” Loki was saying softly. He brought a hand up to brush the side of his brother’s bearded face. “Speaking of eyes, I see you've got a new one.” He looked amused.

It was true. Where once both of Thor’s eyes had been a beautiful bright blue, one was now amber and cybernetic.

Thor was about to respond when he was interrupted by a voice.

“I'm afraid you'll have to continue this little family reunion later.” Came Fury, who had passed the group looking on at the Odinsons’ exchange curiously, and now stood at the head of the main briefing table. The man leaned over the table, resting his hands on it, looking up expectantly. “We have business to attend to.”

“Of course.” Loki deferred. He gently took Thor’s wrists to remove them from his arms, and then pat the man on the shoulder. “We’ll catch up later, I promise.” He gave the disappointed-looking man a reassuring smile and turned to move towards the Director.

“To anyone who isn't related,” Fury stood up straight, gesturing to Loki as he stopped at the man’s side and turned to look back at the group. “This is Loki Odinson, my Number One and Commander of SHIELD’s elite Ghost squadron. The ah… Ghost parallel to your team I suppose, Captain.”

Tony’s eyes widened at that. Loki was Fury’s _Number One?_ After only 12 years? He glanced at Thor, whose expression screamed shock and also swelled with pride.

Steve dipped his head in greeting. “Its a pleasure, Commander. Just a shame you guys are too confidential for us to have heard of your exploits.”

Loki grinned, “The true curse of the Ghost operative. No recognition.” He waved his hand over the table. “Now then, with the introductions out of the way; if you will all take a seat, we will begin the briefing.”

Steve’s squad and the three other Ghosts obediently headed over and began finding seats for themselves. Tony followed behind mechanically.

“You sure you're okay?” Rhodey asked again in a mutter beside him.

“I… yeah. I'm kind of in shock right now, but I’ll be fine.” Tony managed to get out quietly. Didn't help that his voice was still a bit hoarse from the dust.

Rhodey looked concerned, but he dropped it and went to sit down. Tony sat beside him, trying to clear his head so he could focus on the mission briefing. This was not the time to get a cloudy head.

“Right, to business.” Fury swiped the digital interface on the end of the table, and the hologram of a planet appeared floating above the center of the table. All eyes turned on it. “Planet Koton. She orbits our neighboring star Hera, a few days warp journey from here.” He manipulated the display to bring up blueprints and satellite images. “Koton is primarily a newer tech research planet due to the ideal conditions, and we’ve had several working facilities planted there for a few decades. All up til this year.”

The next set of images he brought up made most in Steve’s team tense up. These were mirror images of horrors they’d seen time and time again.

“A few months ago, the Zerg overran several of the facilities. We tried to fight back, but it was a lost cause. We were forced to withdraw our troops, help the inhabitants of the remaining facilities escape the planet, and abandon the rest.”

Tony took in the grim sight. Images of the facilities covered in masses of throbbing tendrils. Bulbous, organlike structures of grotesque flesh forming over buildings. Shattered domes, torn apart combat suits and blood-spattered walls. Dead, twisted Terran bodies ripped to shreds in pools of blood breaking down in the acidic Zerg bile. The ground carpeted in the writhing, viscous cellular mat the aliens covered everything with as they overran worlds.

Masses upon masses of awful creatures of every shape the devil could twist swarmed the premises. Fleshy, cancerlike creatures with too many eyes, teeth, twisted limbs, armor plating and bony protrusions.

Zerglings; like a massive dog combined with a locust, mouths filled with daggers and sickle-shaped appendages rising from their shoulder blades, tearing through their enemies as they let out their horrible, shrill cries. They were the swarming units of the Zerg; it didn't matter how many you killed, dozens more took the place of one and they never stopped coming. Hydralisks; far larger than any Terran, they looked like King Cobras with massive bent arms tipped with scythes, mandibles dripping with saliva as they prepared to spit armor-piercing spines from a distance. Mutalisks; like a wasp from hell, massive batlike wings sending them hurtling through the air, firing explosive glaive wurms from their modified ovipositors, shrieks ripping through the night air.

  
[(Full Image)](https://i.ibb.co/NnSgDMC/zergling.png)

  
[(Ful Image)](https://i.ibb.co/vmjSLZc/hydralisk.png)

  
[(Full Image)](https://i.ibb.co/BsRyRYv/mutalisk.png)

There was no end to the forms the Zerg could take; constantly evolving, mutating, spinning new organisms as befit the situation. It didn't matter how many times you beat them, burned them out, they’d evolve something new to come back with. Where one hive was slain, hundreds more would rise. The Swarm was the malignant cancer of the galaxy. The Swarm was hell itself.

The Swarm was endless.

“God, I’ve… never seen so many Zerg in one place.” Steve breathed, staring in horror at the images. “That planet is lost, Fury. There's no way we can get it back.”

“I'm not asking you to get it back, Captain. I'm asking you to retrieve something from it for me.” Fury informed.

Steve turned to look at him in surprise. “Retrieve something?”

“One of those research facilities was developing a technology that I need to get back.” Fury folded his arms and turned to glance at Tony. “I'll hand the reins over to Mr. Stark here to explain the device in question.”

Tony looked up at the one-eyed man in surprise. “I…what?”

“I imagine you found the file I put on the database? Unless I've overestimated you, that clearance level was well within your hacking skills.”

“Oho, busted.” Clint grinned.

Tony was at a loss for words, and he silently cursed the Director. God, he was such a moron. He should have known it was a trap. It was a well-made one; that bait was too tantalizing to ignore. This was likely Fury’s way of testing and analyzing his hacking methods in order to compensate for them later on. Tony was left with absolutely no leverage now; left basically on the same ignorance level as the rest of his team. That annoyed him to no end. He loved being privy to secret knowledge. Knowledge was power.

But he grit his teeth and swiped his wrist interface, bringing up the holographic schematics he’d acquired beside the floating images of Koton.

“Koton, as far as I understand, is the only uninhabited planet we’ve discovered outside Protoss Space with Khaydarin crystals under the surface.” Tony rubbed his cheek as he explained, trying to keep the annoyance from his voice. He couldn't let Fury know he got to him. “Seems our blue neighbors haven't discovered it yet, which has given us time to do some research. According to these documents, it seems our researchers have discovered a way to harness their psionic potential.” He highlighted the psi emitter schematic. “This so-called PWE-60 model theoretically uses the crystals to emit high levels of psionic waves across long distances.”

  
[(Full Image)](https://i.ibb.co/WpNyWd3/psi-emitter.png)

“Zerg, we’ve discovered, are attracted to anything that emits psi.” Fury took over again. “Like moths to a flame. We believe that's why they swarmed on Koton; because of our research of psi waves there. Due to this, the facility that was developing the psi emitter has the highest levels of Swarm invasion.”

“If you have the schematics, can't you just recreate the devices on another planet?” Natasha questioned.

“These devices use Khaydarin crystals.” Fury glanced at her. “And each Khaydarin crystal is different. We haven't reached Protoss levels of understanding on how to alter the crystals themselves, so each PWE-60 is built from the core out to compensate for the difference. It takes a long time to build a single emitter, even in a lab designed with factory tools built solely for that purpose. So, I need you to go pick up the already-built devices, and as many Khaydarin crystals as you can carry.”

The table was thoughtful for a long moment as they processed this information. Tony wondered why Fury needed these emitters so bad and so quickly.

“You don't think the Zerg have destroyed all the devices and taken the crystals?” Steve inquired.

“The devices and a stash of crystals are secured in an underground cache shielded by psi dampeners. It's possible the Zerg have found it, but very unlikely. There's a good chance these items are still intact, and I'm willing to take that chance.”

Psi dampeners? Tony didn't know they had that technology. He added that to his mental notes with several red underlines.

“This will be a highly risky and potentially futile mission, these emitters must be very important to you.” Tony pressed.

“That's classified.” Fury said curtly.

Another mental note. Fury was hiding something, as usual. A problem to work out later.

“Alright. So, we’re going to Koton, we need to smash into a Zerg-infested facility, find a technology cache, and get back out with it.” Steve summarized as he leaned back in his chair. “How will we find the cache?”

“That's where the Commander’s team comes in.” Fury glanced at Loki. The younger man had been watching everything silently, hands clasped, face unreadable. Those glowing eyes were a little unnerving. “I just need you to get Loki and his operatives into the facility, protect them, and they will take it from there.”

Steve rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Its doable, but I'm going to need more marines for crowd control. Definitely Firebats. I'm thinking we’re looking at a diversion strategy.”

“You can have anything you want. The army is at your disposal. You want some boys to start a Macarena line with some Hydralisks, they’ll do it.”

Steve used the interface to bring up a satellite image of the area in question. “I'll need a fortified base placed here,” Steve drew a circle on the image, an area not too far from the facility. “Lots of bunkers. I'll need the army boys to put on a good show, destroy a few of their outlying hive clusters, make the Zerg feel threatened enough to send most of their units to face them. Draw them away from the facility. Then my team will drop in and burn our way through the remnants. Smash and grab.”

“Send me a list of everything you need and I’ll make it happen.”

The briefing went on for a bit longer as Steve and Fury worked out the details. The team also gathered that this mission was only the first step of several; something Fury didn't intend to say anything more about for now. If the Director was at all predictable, it was likely they wouldn't find out what the next step was until they completed the last one. Tony had a feeling it had something to do with the psi emitters, but he didn't have a single idea what for.

Tony found his focus slipping back to Loki. He kept casually glancing at him, his mind running through all the things he wanted to ask. He knew he wouldn't get a whole lot; the Ghost Program was highly classified, and didn't officially exist according to the government. Those on higher levels, like Tony, were allowed to be aware of the existence of Ghosts purely for the fact that they needed to work together sometimes; but he had no idea what went on in those training facilities. He had no idea what Loki had gone through, and he likely never would. Someone with a position as high as Loki’s wasn't likely to jeopardize it in that way.

Loki didn't so much as glance his way the entire time. He was starting to wonder if the man even remembered him, and that stabbed at his chest a little. What if what they had didn't mean as much to Loki as it did to Tony? That fear grew in him and manifested into self doubt. That wasn't like Tony. He was always confident and sure of himself. He felt like a wreck.

There was only one way to resolve this. He’d have to have a talk with Loki.

When the meeting finally adjourned, most of the team got up to go their separate ways. The three Ghosts followed Fury out one door, and Steve’s team was headed out the other to get settled in the barracks. Tony spotted Loki strolling over to the massive window wall, arms crossed, to gaze out at the world below.

Tony stood still as his team passed him by, staring at Loki, trying to will himself over. Thor apparently had the same idea; but as he went to move for his brother, he was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

Thor turned to look quizzically at Rhodey, who nodded in Tony’s direction. “Give them a minute.” He said meaningfully.

Thor looked like he wanted to protest strongly. Tony didn't blame him. He’d most likely been as desperate to speak to Loki throughout the meeting as Tony was. Moreso, perhaps. He didn't have to deal with the sense of dread Tony had.

But Rhodey quietly urged him, “You're gonna be stuck on a starship with him for days, you can catch up later.”

Thor, brows furrowed, pain evident in his face, finally sighed and relented. He gave Tony a brief, unreadable glance before turning back and allowing Rhodey to lead him away.

The doors slid closed, and the place was silent. Tony stood alone at the table in this big, empty room, staring at that figure that had haunted his dreams for years.

It felt like he stood there for ages, the ability to move getting more and more difficult, when finally he sucked in a breath and stepped forward. He moved mechanically, automatically, mind blank of any ideas on what he would say when he reached the man looking out the observatory windows. He couldn't help but fill the void by staring at his figure. The way that skintight uniform hugged his hips, lines curving along with his back, his ass looked so perfect in it-

“I see nothing has changed with you.”

Tony stopped in his tracks as Loki turned his head to glance at him, a ghost of a smirk crossing his face. Tony’s mind went into overdrive, and then he remembered, feeling the red burning his ears. “Oh, right. Mind reader.” He said weakly. Goddamn it. That was not the first impression he was going for. “How did I forget that?”

Loki just laughed lightly and turned his head back to the window. “Actually, this room is psi dampened. I just know men.”

Tony groaned internally as he stepped up to stand beside Loki, gazing out the window as well, willing his blush to disappear. The dust storm was swelling below, like a great, lazy tidal wave. It glowed under the setting sun.

“So, ah, your eyes glow now. That's new.” Tony ground out, putting his hands in his pockets awkwardly.

Loki let a breath out his nose, closing his eyes at Tony’s statement, amused smile crossing his face. After a moment, he finally opened them again, turning his head to look sideways at Tony. “How are you, Stark?”

“Me? Oh, I’m dandy. How's life in the Ghost Program?”

“Classified.”

“Right.” Tony grit his teeth. Fuck it, he thought. Might as well get it over with. He turned his body to face Loki, taking his hands out of his pockets to fold his arms. “What happened that day, Loki?” He couldn't help the emotion in his voice.

Loki nodded lightly like he had been expecting that question. He sighed, and turned to face the window again. “I imagine you thought I decided not to go through with it, and ran away.”

“I mean, I had a lot of scenarios running through my head. You being murdered by some street sleaze was actually at the top of the list. Would be nice to have some closure on that.”

Loki was silent for a moment. “I was on my way to meet you, like we planned. I… had everything ready. I fully intended to go through with it, you know.” Loki looked at Tony meaningfully. “But… as I was passing under the bridge, I felt something… a sudden burst of pain in my neck. Shot with something, I think. I don't remember what happened immediately after that, but I was out. When I woke up, I was in cuffs in a transport vehicle.” He described slowly. “I tried to fight my way out, but they had drugged me. My body wouldn't obey me, everything was a blur. I found myself locked up in a strange compound with no clue where I was. If I was even on Tarsonis anymore.” He glanced at Tony, who was staring at him in utter bewilderment. “SHIELD got to me, Tony. I can only guess at how they found out about my psionic abilities, but they knew. Maybe they always knew. They grabbed me for the Ghost Program, like they do with anyone they find to be psionically gifted. They drafted me. I had no choice.” He sounded matter-of-fact, like someone who had learned to accept a tragedy a long time ago.

Tony felt heat rising in his blood as Loki had told his story. An anxiety that was transformed into anger as the realization of what had happened to Loki dawned on him. All those years of guessing what could have happened melting in moments when faced with the truth.

“Jesus.” Tony breathed. His stomach twisted at the injustice of it. “Doesn't that make you angry? How can you be so buddy-buddy with Fury after he fucking _kidnapped_ you?” It was appalling.

“It made me angry at first. But I learned a lot about myself in the Ghost Program. I’m better for it.” Loki said shortly, clearly trying not to say too much. “I accepted what happened, and I moved on. Made the best of it.”

“Why didn't you…” Tony rubbed the back of his head. “I don't know. Find some way to let me know you were even alive? Anything?” He felt his voice welling with emotion. All those years thinking Loki was dead, trafficked, or had just… ran away. He’d gone crazy over it. If Loki could read his mind right now, maybe he’d begin to understand what all that had put him through.

Loki looked at the floor. “I’m sorry, Tony. You know how confidential the Program is. I wasn't allowed any contact with friends or family.”

“But Thor and I are elite marines. We know _about_ Ghosts. Why couldn't you tell us at least?” He sounded desperate and accusatory and he hated it. He didn't mean to sound so angry. He didn't want to feel so angry.

Loki’s voice held calm and steady, though. “You can know about Ghosts, but who each Ghost is? That's a need-to-know basis. You didn't need to know until now. Trying to contact you or Thor was a dishonorable discharge-level breach.”

“So you'd get iced. Big deal. Was your military career more important than your family?” Tony spat back.

“You don't understand, Tony. Discharged Ghosts don't get to go back to their families.”

Tony blinked in surprise, heat in his stomach quelling. “What?”

“SHIELD can't risk former Ghost operatives revealing anything about the Program. There's no such thing as being discharged back to society or retiring as a Ghost. You die a Ghost, or get locked up forever.” Loki looked into Tony’s brown eyes. “I always knew there was a chance I might get to work with you and Thor one day. I'd rather follow the rules and get that chance than risk sending you a message and never seeing you or the light of day again.”

Tony stood there, processing this new information for a few moments, before he slowly let out his breath. “That's fair.” He finally managed. He felt like a moron all of a sudden, and a wave of shame filled him. He turned his head down. “I'm sorry, I… should have given you the benefit of the doubt. It's just… been hard.”

Loki nodded. “For me as well. Not a day went by that I didn't think about trying to contact you and Thor.” One corner of his mouth curled up in a half smile. “I had to settle for reading about your various escapades from the SHIELD database.”

Tony let a small smile cross his face. “Those reports don't do it justice. You should hear them from us sometime.” He said weakly, trying to push away the guilt and bring back some enthusiasm. Trying to make this normal again.

“Oh, I do look forward to it.” Loki let out a short laugh. “Thor always was a grand storyteller.”

“He's only gotten better with time.” Tony felt himself grinning. “If there's anyone I want writing my biography, it's him.”

Loki smirked, and turned his head to gaze out the window. The sun had nearly disappeared below the horizon by this point, and the planet’s two moons were high in the sky. The dust storm had dissipated, as far as Tony could tell. Likely settled down on the ground now that the wind had died off. “We should get you to the barracks before it gets too dark.”

“You gonna walk with me, then?”

“If you like.” Loki pulled away from the window, turning in the direction of the exit. Tony went to follow, breathing out and letting the stress flow out of him. Things were going to be okay, he decided. This was good.

“I do feel like I’d be safer, I'll bet you can see in the dark with those things.” Tony said with a grin, referring to Loki’s glowing eyes, shoving his hands in his pockets as he walked beside him. They headed back down the hallway together, Tony allowing Loki to lead the way.

“I can't, actually.”

Tony looked at him in surprise. “You didn't get the night vision module?”

“These are my real eyes.”

“…”

“Glowing eyes are a phenotype in most higher class psionic waveforms.” Loki explained. “Just look at the Protoss.”

“The other Ghosts don't have that.”

A little half smile appeared on Loki’s face as he lead Tony into the lift. He hit a code in the holographic interface before he responded, “They're not as powerful as I am.”

Tony stared at him, eyebrows raised. So not only had Loki become a squadron Commander and Fury’s Number One in just 12 years, he was also the most powerful Ghost in the Program? Tony was feeling very impressed. And intimidated. He wasn't used to feeling that way, but then Loki always did have a way of drawing out emotions he wasn't used to.

“Alright mister big shot. But you didn't have those 12 years ago.” Tony pointed out, leaning against the lift wall.

Loki was silent for a long moment. The quiet whir of the lift tickling their ears. “I've been able to tap into my full potential over the years. I can do a lot more than I could when we knew each other, and I have far better control now. I can control whether or not I listen to the thoughts of those around me now, for example. And I usually choose not to… it's a relief after all the time I couldn’t. But that's all I can really say.”

Of course Tony was dying to know more, psionics had always fascinated him to no end after Loki. But he knew there was no way. If Loki said too much, he would risk both of their heads.

It was kind of strange. Tony had been used to an outwardly dark and sullen Loki, with a sharp tongue, bitterness in his heart, and difficulty expressing himself; even if just expressing himself would make the situation immediately better. This Loki seemed fairly at ease with their conversation, and freely gave personal information as long as it wasn't classified. Yet he had an oddly guarded look in his eyes, some kind of shield and Tony couldn't begin to guess what hid behind it. Maybe it was his training, the secrecy he had to live with every day; but Tony had a feeling it was something more. He may have the others fooled, but Tony could sense something; this outward, friendly, professional Loki wasn't the real one. He hoped he had a shot at breaking those walls down, as he had once before.

As they silently descended, Tony tossed a question around in his head. When the lift reached the bottom floor, and Loki stepped out first, Tony finally let it out as he followed behind. “So… confidential shit aside… how are you doing?”

Loki glanced at him, looking thoughtful for a moment. “Much better than I once was. I like my job, and I feel good about myself.” They headed out the doors of the tower. A few wisps of dust curled around the ground, but it had settled enough that neither of them needed to pull up their masks and goggles. The air was getting chillier by the moment; a side effect of a thin atmosphere, it didn't retain the heat of day well after the sun disappeared. Their feet crunched in the dirt; Tony’s moreso. Loki seemed oddly very lightfooted.

“You enjoy being a Ghost?”

“Oh, yes.” The flare of thrill that flashed across his eyes was undoubtedly genuine. “It's always exciting. And I work with good people.”

“How’s being a squad leader?”

“They’re as stubborn as I am, but we work well together.”

Shallow words. Always just skimming the edge. Sticking to how it felt rather than how it was. Never details on what he did. He was good at this.

“You were… really unhappy, when I knew you.” Tony said carefully.

“Can you blame me?”

“No, I'm just saying…” Tony scratched his bearded chin. Talking like this was hard for him. He wanted to crack a joke and make light of it, make it less uncomfortable. “It's good to see you happy.”

Loki was silent for a long moment, and Tony glanced over at him. He had an unreadable look on his face, eyes almost glazed over as he looked forward. “If things hadn't gone as they did, if I was never taken… I think I could have been happy then as well, eventually. With you there.” He said, softly.

Tony stared at him in surprise, stopping in his tracks, feeling that cold chill run through his veins again. Did Loki just say he could have been happy with him?

Then Loki stopped as well and turned, small smile on his face, strange expression gone and replaced by a mask of professionalism as he glanced up at Tony. He gestured to their left. “The barracks. The rest of your team should already be inside.”

Tony opened and closed his mouth like a fish.

“I need to be getting to my own quarters.” Loki held his own arms and rubbed them a bit. It was getting quite chilly. His breath was becoming visible. Definitely too cold for what Loki was currently wearing. Tony too, in his shortsleeves. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Tony. It was good catching up.”

Tony shook off his shock and forced a smile. “Hey, yeah. Hopefully we’ll get a chance to hang out more.”

Loki nodded, then turned and began to step away.

“I was going to ask you to dance that day, you know.” Tony spit out.

Loki stopped in his tracks.

“We were going to meet at Daisy’s, remember?” Tony felt weak as the memories flowed over him, and he couldn't stop himself. “I was going to ask if you wanted to dance, while we still had the chance. We never even got that chance.”

A sad smile crossed Loki’s face as he turned back to look at Tony. “Well,” his voice was soft. “We’ll just have to make a new one for it.”

Tony smiled and nodded back. He wanted to feel excited at the prospect, but there was something in Loki’s eyes that distracted him. Something beyond sad.

“Goodnight, Tony.” Loki turned around and strode away.

Tony watched until he disappeared into the darkness. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, but… he had to. The day had been stressful enough, and he was feeling overwhelmed. He needed to stop reading into any of this, and to go get some sleep. So he shoved those suspicions into a box and stored them away for another time.

He headed up the ramp, and into the building. The barracks were always metallic and gray and as far from cozy as could be imagined. But it wasn't like anyone spent a considerable amount of time in them. It was a place to stow your shit and lay your head down, not much more.

Speaking of stowed shit; as he reached his dorm (elite class got their own little rooms versus the average marine’s bunks, one of the top five privileges of the title) Tony remembered he never picked up his gear from check-in. He groaned as he took out his ID card and waved it over the door. He was too tired to go back now.

Then he walked into the room, turned on the light, and silently praised Rhodey.

The man had grabbed Tony’s duffel bag at check-in when he had picked up his own and dropped it off for him. He made a mental note to put one of Rhodey’s tech requests at the top of his list. That man was a beautiful angel.

It didn't take long for him to strip out of those dust-caked clothes, wash the dirt and sweat off in that tiny dorm shower, and change into clean sleeping shorts. He’d barely finished rubbing his hair dry when he collapsed into the bed. The dampness would be annoying for a bit, but he was so tired.

As he lay back on that hard mattress in the darkness, Tony let a gentle stream of thought trickle through his drowsy mind as he fell asleep.

Tonight he realized that even though his mind had accepted the idea that he’d never see Loki again, his heart never did. Because just seeing him reignited that flame again. Just seeing him made him realize he still felt the same way he did 12 years ago. He wanted things to be the same between the two of them again, as they were all that time ago.

It was beyond thrilling to know that Loki not only remembered Tony, but apparently thought about him often. He’d _wanted_ to contact Tony, to let him know that he was alive, that he didn't mean to disappear. He felt his heart skip a beat when he remembered; Loki thought they’d have been happy together. He _thought about that_. Like Tony did every time he thought of Loki, for all the years before he’d given up hope; burnt out on broken dreams.

But most of all, the joy of just knowing he was alive was immeasurable. He was happy just for the chance to get to know Loki all over again, a fresh start, to catch up best they could. He knew it would be awkward for a while, but he was determined to see it through. He had every intention of breaking those walls down. He had every intention of taking up that dance.

Because if he was anything like he used to be, Loki was worth the wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Concept Art](https://morphiina.tumblr.com/tagged/infestedfic)
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> Other images from Starcraft 2: Field Manual - Rick Barba


	2. L’appel du Vide

_12 years ago_

 

Planet Tarsonis. Temperate, 27-hour days, occasional solar flares. Tarsonis and it's one major continent was the home world and central hub of the Terran Confederacy (one of the three major human powers in the Koprulu Sector), which meant it was also one of the most heavily defended planets in the sector. Three massive space platforms orbited the planet; staging areas for the Confederate fleet, protected by massive ion cannons. Anyone who dared attack the planet directly never made it to the surface.

Didn't mean it was a safe place to grow up, but over two billion people called it home.

It was summer break for the highschool kids at the moment. In Military Academy, that meant two months. They all tried to make the most of it.

Tony was going for his daily jog, a bit later than usual, listening to his music via wireless earpieces. He’d woken up with a horrendous hangover, and it had taken him extra long to force himself out of bed. Short school breaks meant packing as many parties in as possible; and it wasn't hard to overexert oneself. He really just wanted to sleep all day, but that would only encourage bad habits, and getting out of shape would mean hell when school started again.

He decided to take the scenic route today. The edge of Tarsonis City had some sights worth seeing, especially when traversing the higher levels. And it wasn't generally too busy this time of day. He was just starting to work up a sweat when he reached a skyline footbridge. This area stretched out over a wild valley that the city had yet to swallow up; and the view was always breathtaking.

Green rolling hills, forests, and sparkling ponds. Mountains in the far distance. Fluffy clouds up above, mist down below. Sometimes you could spot herds of rhynadon, packs of wild lyotes and families of ursadaks. The chirping of life birds by day, the hum of urchin lizards by night. One could get lost in the view for hours.

He had intended to stop in the middle of the footbridge to gaze out at it for a bit, as he did sometimes; but he quickly discovered that his usual viewpoint was already occupied by someone he didn't recognize. A kid, seemingly around Tony’s age, perhaps a year younger. 16 to Tony’s 17. Messy, medium-length black hair, dark sweatshirt that seemed too big for his scrawny frame. He was leaning over the bridge railing, resting his elbows on it, chin planted in his hand as he gazed out at the view. His feet stood on the slight ledge that the railing protruded from.

Though… no, he wasn't gazing out. He was gazing directly downward. Tony felt a surge of nervous energy crawl from his stomach. He couldn't place his finger on why, but he was getting a strange, sixth sense feeling about this guy. Maybe it was a gut feeling based on body language, but he was stabbed with a horrible, alien idea.

“Hey, you're not thinking about jumping, are you?” Tony asked spontaneously after he’d turned off his ear pieces with a flick of the wrist, trying to sound casual, a bit out of breath as he came up to a stop near the kid.

He didn't acknowledge Tony, just kept looking out over that railing. Tony just stood there for a few moments, one eyebrow raised, breathing hard. He was about to try another tactic when the kid finally spoke up.

“On Old Earth they had a phrase; ‘l’appel du vide’. Means ‘the call of the void’.” He didn't look at Tony as he spoke. He had a sullen voice and a posh accent. “A lot of people think about jumping, even if they don't really want to.”

Tony blinked, and then wiped the sweat from his brow with his forearm before stepping up closer. He turned and leaned his back against the railing beside the kid, and glanced sideways at him.

“So I guess that makes my next question; do you want to?” He asked, mind racing. He so wasn't qualified or prepared for this, but there was no one else around. At least he could easily wrestle him to the ground if he tried anything; he was nothing more than a toothpick compared to Tony’s marine-in-training bulk.

The kid straightened out his back, standing upright, and put his hands in his sweatshirt pockets, still gazing out at the valley below. Then he glanced at Tony, whose heart skipped a beat. God was he pretty, with those vibrant green eyes.

But he also looked beyond exhausted, with those dark eye circles and drooping eyelids. The whites of his eyes were framed by angry red veins, and his skin had an oddly gray undertone. He just looked… done.

“Yeah.” The kid said truthfully, with a sigh as he turned his head down. He took one of his hands out of his pocket; he had something in his fingers, roughly the dimensions of a short pen. “But I’m not going to.”

He fiddled with the device for a moment before putting it in his mouth. The tip of it glowed green briefly, and then vapor curled from his nose. Tony got a whiff of it. He’d been at enough wild parties to know that smell, to know what was in that cartridge. Nothing took away nerves and bad feelings like HCD-12. It had street value and potential for abuse, but it was also prescribed by a good many doctors for anxiety relief.

“What’s your name?” Tony asked, watching the vapor swirl in the little wind vortexes before dissipating. “I'm Tony.”

“Loki.” The kid said, a little muffled by the pen.

“Wanna get a coffee, Loki?”

Loki raised an eyebrow at him, green eyes shining in the afternoon sunlight, and took the pen out of his mouth. “I don't drink coffee.”

“Tea?”

“Mm. Why?”

“Because it's kinda chilly up here in my running gear, but you just told me you want to jump off this bridge, so naturally I'm not going to leave while you're up here.” Tony said honestly. He believed the kid, but he wouldn't forgive himself if by some chance he found his obituary tomorrow. Suicide wasn't uncommon at all for Tarsonis City, but the news of it was just… names, to Tony. He’d personally invested in this one by talking to him. It would mess him up if he didn't do his best right now.

Loki looked at him considerately. “I said I wasn't going to.”

“Yeah, but I’m not gonna risk it.” Tony peeled himself from the railing and took a few steps down the footpath, gesturing down it. “Come on, I know a place on a… lower elevation.”

Tony thought he’d have to fight him, and he’d prepared a few comebacks; but they went unused. Because after a moment of processing, Loki shrugged and pulled away from the railing, putting his hand back in his hoodie pocket like the other one and stepping down from the ledge.

Tony was a bit surprised; but he shook it off and started walking when the boy reached him. Off they went down the footpath, side by side.

“You're uh… awfully trusting.” Tony noted. Tarsonis City wasn't the safest place in the Koprulu Sector, and generally people were expected to be quite a bit more suspicious if a random person up and asked them to coffee.

Loki shrugged. “Tea sounds nice, and I don't have anything to lose.”

“What about your kidneys?”

“My kidneys have zero black market value.”

Tony grinned. So, this kid was snarky. He liked snarky. “I haven't seen you around here.” He noted. He fully intended to keep him talking, at least until they were safely off the bridge.

“I don't get out much.”

“I can tell.” Tony remarked, referring to his vampirically pale skin. “I have to assume you don't go to the Military Academy.”

“Do I look like Marine material?”

“Not at all. That's what makes me assume.”

“Your astute observation is correct.”

“What school do you go to, then? Governing? Agriculture?”

Loki was silent for so long, that Tony had to glance at him. The kid was looking straight ahead, unreadable expression on his face.

Eventually, Loki spoke up, “What kind of music you listen to?” He glanced at Tony, and then at his ear piece.

Tony blinked. It was an obvious subject change, and now the curiosity burned in him. But he didn't intend to push. “Hard rock and metal, mostly. Level 800 Elite Tauren Chieftain and similar.” Tony rubbed his arms. The breeze was definitely getting too chilly for this pace, in his sweat-dampened gray T-shirt and running shorts, and he was looking forward to reaching the end of the path. “You listen to music?”

“Mostly Old Earth classics.”

Tony raised an eyebrow. “You sure are familiar with a lot of Old Earth stuff.”

Loki quirked a hint of a smile, and didn't respond. That was alright, though. The path had finally flattened out, and the bridge was now safely behind them. Tony felt like he could finally relax that underlying tension.

The towers and compounds stretched high above them at either side or the road, like the Dead Sea splitting before them. The rumbling of transport vehicles shook the ground and the whirring of sky trains filled the air, but the streets were fairly empty at this edge of the city, at this time of day. People milled about, but it was nothing like the chaos of the inner city.

“You ever been to Daisy’s Diner?” Tony asked Loki as they drew nearer.

“Nah.”

“I feel like you're gonna love it. It's got a retro Old Earth vibe.”

He noticed Loki perk up at that.

Daisy’s Diner pulled out all the stops. The gaudy neon sign, the rectangular windows lined with bright red, the rounded roof in teal. The door jingled when Tony held it open for Loki, and they were hit with the bright atmosphere; black and white checkered vinyl floor, teal walls and stools, pink tile counter, and red and white striped booths. It was hella obnoxious and an eyesore, but charming.

The waitresses were always cute too. With those retro hairdos, classic striped poofy apron dresses and bright red lipstick.

Loki was looking around with a wide-eyed gaze that looked even more amusing with his pupils blown from the earlier hit. There was another couple and a lone man in the place, but it was otherwise empty. It wasn't exactly rush hour at this time on a workday.

Tony strode up to the counter, and couldn't help but hit the little bell. It was a childlike satisfaction, and he was sure the staff wanted to shoot that thing; but it was irresistible.

A waitress popped her head out the window to the kitchen, her brown hair bobbing. “Be with you in a sec, hon!”

Tony nodded and leaned against the counter, glancing over at Loki. The boy’s hands were out of his pockets as he studied the massive, neon jukebox that stood against one wall. The machine wasn't original, no way the historians would let a diner take such an important artifact; but it was a close recreation.

Tony took the opportunity to study Loki closer. He really was cute, in that oversized, black sweatshirt with the too-long sleeves and fitted gray pants that revealed just how scrawny he was. His hair looked like a perpetual bedhead, sticking out in all sorts of places. And those eyes… he couldn't see them right now, but man were they startling. He’d never seen such naturally vibrant green eyes in his life.

“You know how to work that thing?” Tony asked. Loki glanced over and shook his head, so Tony peeled himself away from the bar and walked over.

Loki was still distracted by the lights in the machine when Tony tried to reach in to access the buttons. He brushed against Loki, who looked up with a bit of a start. They stared at each other for an awkward moment; Loki’s eyes wide and a slight blush crossing his nose; and then he quickly shifted over to give Tony room, pulling his hands to himself.

Tony blinked, having felt an alien, fizzy, adrenaline sensation in his head during that awkward moment. But he shook it off and turned to look at the machine. Loki watched as he started hitting the buttons with that satisfying click. “They uh, showed me how to work this a while back. You just gotta know th- oh, oops.” A song started blaring, startling them both. “Well, that's a good one.” He had to shout over the sudden guitar sounds.

Loki raised his head, eyes rolling up thoughtfully, and then a grin crossed his face as he seemed to recognize the song. It was Pour Some Sugar On Me by Def Leppard; a real classic from the Old Earth retro era. Even Tony, a hard rock fan, got a kick out of it.

And Loki was damn cute with that cheerful grin.

“What can I get you, kids?” Came the waitress’s voice, just barely audible over the music. Tony turned, tapping the mesmerized Loki lightly on the arm to get his attention; who flinched in response, but it did the trick.

Tony headed back over to the bar, Loki in pursuit, and sat down at one of the stools. Loki tentatively did the same; seeming to move awkwardly as he maneuvered himself into the seat. The music was a more tolerable volume over here.

“I'll have a coffee, black.” Tony told the waitress.

“That all?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“You got it. And for you, sweetie?”

Tony glanced at Loki; the boy was spaceshot for a long while before he seemed to realize he was being spoken to, and he glanced up the moment he did. “Oh, uh… just a black tea with sugar.”

“Be right back with it!” The waitress said cheerily before heading over to the other area behind the bar where the retro coffee machine was located.

“What do you think about the place?” Tony asked.

“It's fun, I had no idea any place like this existed outside the Old Earth History museum.” Loki said, studying that obnoxious countertop.

“Is that museum what piqued your interest in Old Earth stuff?” Tony had only been once during a school trip to where it sat at the center of Tarsonis City. But he hadn't been overly intrigued at the time.

“Nah, I knew a historian in Kithrup who introduced me to it.”

“You lived in Kithrup?”

Loki blinked in surprise. Seemed like he hadn't meant to divulge that. “I… yeah.”

“What made you move to Tarsonis City?”

Loki was silent for a long moment; Tony wondered if he wasn't going to answer, like that school question. But eventually he opened his mouth again. “We moved a few years ago so my brother could join the Military Academy.”

Tony raised his eyebrows. He was about to question him further when the waitress came back with a pair of steaming hot, disposable mugs.

“Here you are, boys.” She said with a smile, dropping the drinks onto the counter before turning back towards the kitchen.

“Thanks a bunch.” Tony said after her, taking the mug and breathing in that beautiful, beautiful coffee smell. He was still shaking off that hangover, and coffee sounded so great right now after that windchill. Loki took his mug as well, and slowly stirred the tea with the spoon.

With the waitress gone, Tony resumed their conversation. “So your brother goes to my school?”

“Mm.”

“What's his name? Maybe I know him.”

“Thor.”

“ _Thor Odinson_ is your _brother_?!” Tony was shocked. The two looked absolutely nothing alike.

Loki was busy blowing on his tea and pointedly not looking at Tony. “Guess that means you know him.”

“I… yeah he's in my class. He's like, one of the best potential marines in the school and buff as fuck.”

“Yeah.” Loki sounded slightly irritated as he sipped on the tea. Sibling rivalry? Tony wondered. Or jealousy? It would be hard not to be jealous, especially for someone so starkly contrasting as Loki.

“You're training to be a marine, then?” Loki changed the subject.

“I'm dual majoring in marine corps and engineering.”

Loki raised his eyebrows, glancing at Tony. “Engineering?”

“Yeah. My dad’s an engineer so I've been tinkering my whole life.”

Loki looked intrigued. “What kinds of things do you make?”

“Oh man, all sorts of things. My dad works in weapons tech and I've been playing with power armor, but I'll also make little things. Fix things too. I'm like, the school repair technician.”

Loki had a thoughtful gaze. “Think you could fix Old Earth tech?”

“I mean, probably? If I could figure out how it works and have the right materials to replicate any broken parts.”

Suddenly, the bell on the door started ringing wildly.

Tony swiveled his head as dozens of footsteps and screeches filled the air. It appeared to be a girls soccer team as a huge pack of 8-year-olds filed in with their ponytails and long socks. Their coach was trying to tell them to quiet down and use their indoor voices, and some of them obeyed; but most of them were giggling loudly.

From their excited words, it sounded like they’d won their game. Tony smiled a little. They were noisy, but adorable. Thankfully they went to one of the tables at the far end, far from where Tony and Loki were sitting, with the jukebox between them to muffle them out a little more. Tony looked away.

“Heh, cute.” He blinked when he realized Loki had his head lowered, eyes squeezed shut, the bridge of his nose pinched between his thumb and index. “You alright?” He asked with concern.

Rather than respond, Loki brought up his other hand and pressed both of them against his temples. His face was scrunched in pain, he was white as a sheet, and his hands trembled. Tony felt a rush go through him; what the hell was happening? Bad HCD reaction? Did he need a medic? He was about to put a hand on Loki’s shoulder when he spotted something.

One of Loki’s sleeves had slipped down, revealing a long, metal tube embedded into the flesh of his wrist, bound by two thin metal cuffs at each end. A glass window was visible at the front, filled with some kind of blue liquid. Tony knew what that was; it was a medical dispenser. It was used for injecting regular doses of medicine directly into the bloodstream for people who had difficulty keeping up with it. Usually the elderly, long-term or chronic medical patients and people with all sorts of severe mental disorders.

“Loki?” Tony was certain his nerves came out in his voice as he reached out to the kid.

Loki rubbed his face with the back of his hand, and squinted up at the area in front of him. “I-I need to get out of here.” He forced out. With that, he shakily slipped off of the seat, and hurried in the direction of the door seemingly in a blind panic, tea forgotten.

Tony blinked, completely lost as to what the hell was happening as he watched Loki disappear through the glass. The waitress had just come out from the kitchen and was looking with concern. “Is the little guy okay?” She asked.

“I don't think he's feeling very well.” Tony shook his head and brought up his holographic wrist interface; he quickly typed in some numbers and swiped the air towards the waitress, sending the money off digitally. “Keep the change.” He said. With that, he hopped down, grabbed both drinks, and went off after Loki.

He spotted that messy, black mop heading down the sidewalk going west along the edge of the city. The boy hadn't gotten very far, and Tony quickly caught up to him, careful not to spill the hot drinks in his hands. That wasn't the kind of warming up he wanted.

Loki had his arms wrapped around himself as he walked, seemingly in no particular direction. He didn't appear to be in pain anymore, but he looked distressed and frustrated and tired as all hell.

Tony fell into pace beside him, and tried to keep his voice casual, as though nothing odd had just happened. “You forgot your tea.” He said as he held out the warm mug to him.

Loki stopped in his tracks, blinking and staring at the mug as if he just remembered it existed. “Shit, I didn't pay.” He voice sounded strained.

“Oh, no worries, I took care of it.”

Loki glanced up at him and then raised his wrist; the one without the medical implant; and brought up the holographic UI. “How many credits?”

“No need for that, I got it.”

Loki frowned and typed in a guess, then swipedto push it towards Tony.

Tony blocked that hologram in the air with his wrist; the numbers turning red and dissipating. A smart grin on his face. “I said I got it. Now take your damned tea so I don't have to drink that shit.”

Loki grumbled under his breath, a disgruntled look on his face, but obediently took the cup into his hands.

“Now, then.” Tony sipped at his own mug of coffee now that he was free to hold it with both hands. “We gonna talk about what just happened?”

Loki looked taken aback. “I…”

“I noticed you have medicine dispenser. Are you under someone’s care?”

“What? No.”

“So I don't need to call anyone?”

Loki scrunched his nose and started backing away, before turning in the other direction. “Just leave me alone.” He said, voice tinged with desperation as he started away.

Tony blinked. What the hell had made this guy go from kid in a toy shop in that diner to a miserable wreck? Was it the drugs? He didn't intend to let Loki go off alone in such an unstable state. So he went after him.

“Was it the noise? Overstimulation?” Tony asked softly when he reached Loki’s side again. He just wanted to let him know he understood. That panic attacks and things like that were nothing to be embarrassed about.

But Loki gave him an annoyed, nasty glare. “I said leave me alone.” His eyes shone, he could see tears forming.

“Not gonna do that, buddy. I'm gonna make sure you get home, at least.”

“What, so you can find out where I live and harass me some more?” He hissed.

“Loki, just stop.” Tony grabbed his arm to make him stop walking. Loki tensed up under his grip, eyes flashing with panic; and something more? It almost looked like a bolt of green electricity crossed his irises for a second. But it had to have been his imagination.

He let his arm go, regardless. Thankfully, Loki stayed there. He looked oddly spooked. Like Tony’s touch had stunned him.

“Look, forget it. I won't ask.” Tony had his hands up in surrender. He realized he’d made a mistake in asking about it, and regretted his tactless stream of words. “Can you just let me walk you home and I'll leave you alone?”

Loki stood there for a long moment, studying Tony with those piercing green eyes.

Eventually he swallowed, and said, “Fine.”

They were silent for a while as they walked, both occasionally sipping their drinks until they were empty and in one of the various garbage disposals that popped up around the city. Loki seemed really jumpy, and he winced whenever they got near other people. Tony was busy trying to work through it all in his head. Had Loki been assaulted and now had traumatic stress when around or being touched by people? But that didn't seem to add up with the fact that he had instantly trusted Tony enough to follow him to the diner. He had a few ideas, but it's not like it did him any good to wonder. A lot of things had overlapping symptoms. It could be anything.

They headed under the footbridge this time, the long structure casting a shadow over the street below. “What area do you live in?” Tony spoke up.

“67cI. 899th.” Loki responded quietly.

“Oh, not far, then.”

When Loki went silent again, Tony glanced over at him. He was biting his lip, and looked like he had something he wanted to say.

“I…” He trailed off.

“Yeah?” Tony encouraged.

Loki exhaled. “Sorry for freaking out.” He apologized. A slight blush had formed on his cheeks, and he didn't look at Tony. “I’ve… been having a bad day.”

“Do you wanna talk about it?”

Loki was silent for a long moment. He looked like he was fighting internally with himself.

“You don't have to.” Tony said.

Loki shoved his hands in his pockets. “I ah… have this psychological thing where I hear voices in my head when I'm around people. The more people, the louder and… more chaotic.”

Tony nodded encouragingly when Loki glanced shyly at him. “That's rough. I imagine that must really suck in a big, noisy city like this.”

“It's overwhelming.” Loki admitted. “Sometimes I can handle it, but… I just get so tired of it sometimes.” He sighed. Now Tony understood his exhausted look. That doneness with it all. It practically came out of his pores.

“I'm sorry, Loki.” Tony was genuinely empathetic. He couldn't imagine how frustrating that was to deal with.

Loki nodded a little, but didn't say anything more.

Then they reached their destination. One of several massive apartment buildings, packed with higher-end multi-bedroom apartments meant for mid-to-upper class families. He likely had a fairly comfortable setup up there. Probably nothing like Tony’s place, but good living no doubt.

“I'll head up myself.” Loki said.

“You sure?”

“Yeah. I… thanks, Tony.” He said awkwardly. “For… everything.” His face was a bit pink as he looked down at the ground.

Tony felt his heart flutter. Goddamn this guy needed to stop being so cute.

“No problem at all. See you around, maybe?”

Loki nodded, managed a weak, little smile, and then went off up the steps to the complex. Tony stood and watched, making sure he got into the building, until the kid was out of sight.

Tony let out a breath of relief. It had been a stressful and strange few hours, and he hadn't realized he’d been tense about it until it was now over. He didn't blame Loki; it's not like he’d asked Tony to do everything he had. The poor kid was having a rough time.

Tony sighed and turned around. He felt accomplished, but something still itched deep inside. Like there was more he needed to do, like it wasn't really over. But it was. They were going their separate ways, now. He’d likely never see Loki again. And that, while less stressful… that made him kind of sad.

Because even though he was an unstable and unpredictable individual, he still had an endearing character. Still had a spark for life, despite his struggle. Despite not wanting to continue on. Tony admired that. And he was saddened by the idea of not being able to play some Old Earth song and bring out that grin again.

Suddenly, he heard a tiny beep, and he lifted his wrist.

A number was crawling around the circumference of his arm like a circle of ants. A friend request’s ID number.

Tony smiled when he saw the name attached.

It wouldn't be the last time he heard from Loki after all.

 

—

 

_Present day_

 

Tony ran his fingers through his hair as he walked down the barracks hallway. Other marines heading to or from the cafeteria milled around him; some alone, some in groups and tiredly laughing at this or that. It seemed busy for 4am, but there was a lot to do today.

The layout of the barracks was the same in every compound. Easier to mass-manufacture if they all follow one blueprint. Might sound a little boring, but it was actually a comforting feature for a lot of marines; didn't feel quite as much like a brand new environment every time they got shipped out to a new place of deployment when they woke up. Also made it easier to find what they needed, not having to learn a new layout all the time. 

Tony headed over to the MRE (meal, ready-to-eat) dispenser and grabbed one of the available breakfast meal packets. Eggs and bacon with blueberry toast, heated in the container. One of the less awful options available. The flavors all blended together, the toast was more like soggy goop, and the bacon definitely didn't come from a pig or probably even an animal at all; but hey, it wasn't gray-green-something.

“Ha! Prove it. What am I thinking about?” Tony suddenly heard the voice of Thor a ways behind him and turned his head to try and find the man.

Within moments he spotted that massacre of a haircut attached to that massive bulking man where he sat at one of the tables; and his heart fluttered when he spotted Loki across from his brother.

Loki had a faint smirk on his face and Tony just barely heard that soft voice respond, “You're imagining that time you tried to bring a wild lyote pup home as a kid.” Loki had nothing more than a cup of steaming something that Tony assumed was tea, and he wondered if he had already eaten. He had his long hair up in a loose, messy bun, strands of it poking out in all directions. It was nice to see his face with his hair pulled back. He wondered if he had slept like that, and imagined for a moment how cute that would be to wake up to.

Tony started in their direction. It sounded like Thor was testing Loki’s psionic abilities; something Thor hadn't known about prior to being reunited with his brother, and something Tony was interested in as well. A few sleepy voices shot a variety of ‘mornin, Stark’ greetings at him as he passed by.

“I am still fairly upset about it.” Thor said wistfully.

“It was a cute pup.” Loki glanced up when Tony reached them, and nodded in greeting when he sat down on the bench seat beside Thor, across from Loki. “But it would have grown to be the size of the sofa, lyotes weren't meant for indoor life.” The large creatures, native to Tarsonis, were like massive goat-wolves. Cute and fuzzy as puppies, but fearsome and dangerous as adults.

  
[(Full Image)](https://i.ibb.co/tJv8Lqg/lyote.png)

“I know.” Thor said with a sigh. “But I did not share in your strangely logical reasoning for a child at that age.”

Tony smirked. “How old were you?” He asked Thor, glancing aside at him.

“Mmm, 6 perhaps?” Thor said thoughtfully as he chewed his MRE. Smelled like the breakfast meat patty in gravy and pancakes, but it was hard to tell in all that gray goop.

“Oh man, those teeth and spines around a 6-year-old woulda resulted in tragedy, guaranteed.”

“And if not that, he would have been murdered by our mother after the drapes got caught in the horns.” Loki grinned, and Thor gave a knowing chuckle. Seemed like there was more to that statement, an inside joke.

Tony smirked. “Anyway, back to… testing your psionic abilities I assume?” He leaned forward a bit as he peeled the lid from his MRE. “Now I don't know a whole lot about Ghosts, but I heard a rumor some of them can like… move stuff. With their minds.” Steam curled from the less-than appetizing meal in front of him.

“Those higher on the Psi index have telekinetic abilities, indeed.” Loki confirmed, sipping at his drink. “It's extremely rare, though. Even among those with a high PI.”

“Well?” Tony said expectantly.

“What?”

“You said you're more powerful than the rest of them. That's gotta mean you can do that shit. Am I wrong?” Tony taunted as he stirred around his meal with the plastic fork it came with.

Loki had a faint smirk on his face, and Tony realized he had known exactly what Tony was asking, likely long before he’d finished his first statement.

Loki lifted one of his dainty hands, fingers pointed lazily at Tony. Suddenly, he felt a tugging sensation and looked down startled as the plastic fork was ripped from his hand by an invisible force, splattering a bit of the gooey food across the table. The fork shot into Loki’s raised hand neatly.

Thor let out a startled gasp, dropping his own fork into the MRE container with a plastic clack. Tony stared between his own empty hand and the fork Loki was now twirling between his fingers like it was a dagger. He’d seen some crazy shit in his military career, but still he was filled with a sense of awe. “Christ.”

“Could you always do that?” Thor asked in wonder.

Loki’s smirk faded as he gazed at the fork in his hand, before reaching out to gently place it back against the side of Tony’s MRE container. He had an odd look on his face, a distance laced with confusion. “I suppose I could. Things happened sometimes, but I just assumed they were flukes. Never considered it might be me.”

Thor opened his mouth, about to speak; when suddenly the implant in his wrist beeped. He glanced down and swiped the interface, and the face of the Captain appeared floating in the air.

“Thor, engineering needs you down here to test the interface of your new suit.” The man explained, voice fuzzy through the hologram. “You don't really deserve an upgrade, considering the destruction of your last suit was entirely preventable…” He had an annoyed look on his face.

Thor swallowed. He had no intention of annoying his captain further. “I will be there right away.” He assured.

“See to it.” The Captain said, and the connection was severed.

Thor grimaced and glanced up at Loki. “I regret I must cut breakfast short.” His face was genuinely wistful. Tony knew how he felt; he wouldn't want a morning of catching up with long-lost Loki to be cut short either.

Loki reached out and squeezed his brother’s wrist. “We’ll have plenty of time during transport.”

Thor smiled and nodded, picking up his mostly-cleaned MRE tray as he pushed himself to his feet. “I greatly look forward to it! I have so many more stories to tell you.” He beamed. That was cute. Thor had always loved to impress his younger brother, something Loki had divulged long ago. Thor liked to have him share in his victories. Tony wondered how different it would be for Loki, now, than it was when they were kids. Now he had his own victories and accomplishments that rivaled and perhaps even bested Thor’s; no more feeling inferior.

Of course, he couldn't relay those experiences to his brother. That had to be frustrating. Perhaps it wasn't much of an improvement after all.

Tony frowned a bit. He’d forgotten about this little aspect of being around Loki. He just… seemed to know what the man was feeling. Understood, in a deep core way, why he was feeling the way he did. Even in the beginning, when he understood what Loki wanted to do to himself on that bridge on Tarsonis.He never understood why that was. Why he found it so easy to empathize with him. It wasn't like he had a similar life experience. Similar daddy issues, sure. But Tony never had to deal with tormenting voices or elder siblings. He never experienced brotherly love. But somehow, when he was around Loki, he understood how it felt to feel affection for a sibling.

Maybe it was just because he paid the man a lot of attention. Perhaps he was picking up subtle body language unconsciously. That had to be it.

“I assume I will see you later, Stark?” Thor’s voice brought him back out of his head.

Tony nodded, a bit of a smile crossing his face as he lazily saluted his teammate. “For sure, buddy.”

“Until liftoff, then!” Thor flicked his hand in farewell, turned, and carried his MRE container away.

The pair silently watched the man leave, and then Loki spoke up when his brother had gone. “How is it, being teammates with Thor?” He asked. “You were rivals, back in school; but you seem friendly enough now.”

Tony picked up his fork, a bit wary of it after that telekinesis incident, and jabbed it into a chunk of what was probably supposed to be the scrambled egg. “Oh yeah, we’re still competitive. But we learned to respect each other over the years, and it's all in good sport. He’s really one of my closest friends, now.”

Loki’s smile was genuine. “I'm really glad to hear that.”

“How is it in your team?” Tony asked after he had swallowed a mouthful. The food was too salty, but it wasn't too bad. He'd had worse. There was that time when the gray-green something was the only flavor available. “You close with any of them?”

“I'm close with all three of them. You have to be, as a Ghost.”

Tony wondered what the latter of that statement meant. But he knew he wasn't likely to find out.

“Are you uh…” Tony cleared his throat. “Seeing anyone?” Goddamn he felt like a pining teenager, and instantly regretted asking that. But he desperately needed the answer. Sometimes you just had to get through the awkward questions when you need the answer.

Loki took another sip of his drink, edge of his mouth curled up in a smirk. “Not all that much time for romance in the military.”

“I'll take that as a no?”

“No, Stark, I'm not seeing anyone.” He looked thoughtful for a moment. “Exclusively.”

Tony blinked at him. The hell did that mean?

Loki seemed to have moved on, however. He was pulling a metal rod from his belt; he clicked a tab on it and it popped open into two long halves. As he pulled the two halves apart, a glowing hologram stretched between them. A holographic clipboard; a bit primitive, but Tony saw higher-ups use them as data storage for things too classified to be sent through the online database. They had an odd filter that made it so anyone other than the primary user just saw a bunch of blurry shapes rather than words.

“Are they seriously making you work already? It's 4:30 in the morning.” Tony asked, staring at the clipboard.

“No rest for the wicked.” Loki confirmed, swiping at the holographic interface in front of him.

“The wickedly gorgeous.” Tony said flirtatiously. Well hey, he confirmed he wasn't exclusive with anyone.

“Ha, one of my favorite Old Earth adjectives.”

“I remember.” Tony grinned. “You still read up on Old Earth shit?”

Loki looked up from his clipboard, not quite at Tony; more at the table. He had a guarded look to his eyes again. “Not so much anymore.” His voice was clipped.

“Not interested anymore?”

“I…” He looked back down at his clipboard. His eyes were dark. “I just don't have time for it.”

Tony’s brow furrowed. He didn't like the sound of that. He knew people’s tastes changed, interests faded; but something gnawed at him. His gut told him this wasn't right. Maybe it was just because in the time he knew him, Old Earth culture had been everything to Loki.

“Speaking of time.” Loki drained the rest of his drink, and then got to his feet with a bit of an unbalanced wobble due to having two hands full. “I have to go make sure the technicians are loading the cargo bay properly.”

“Sounds like a lowly job, for Number One.”

“Curse of being a higher up privy to classified tech.” He stepped over the bench seat of the table.

Tony was curious. He knew any classified tech would be sealed up in unmarked containment units, but couldn't help but wonder if he might catch something. Discover something he might be able to use later on. “Is it too classified for a simple marine to tag along for?” Tony smiled charmingly before he shoveled another bite of his breakfast into his mouth.

Loki looked down at him and shrugged. “You can come if you like. Won't be very exciting, though.”

 _I could watch paint dry if it was with you,_ Tony thought. He wondered if Loki had read that. He couldn't decide if he wanted that or not. “Not like I've got anything better to do than wait around for liftoff.” Tony took one last bite and stood up, grabbing his half-eaten MRE packet.

Loki smiled faintly, an endeared look in his eyes. “Come on, then.”

The pair went out of the cafeteria, side-by-side, tossing their empty food and drink containers into the recyclers along the way.

 

Well, Loki hadn't been wrong. Cargo check was 100% not exciting.

They’d chatted casually on the way over to the cargo transfer building; mostly Loki asking Tony for further details on some of his escapades he’d read about in the reports, and Tony going into grand detail. He wasn't sure why he bothered exaggerating so much; Loki knew when he was lying. Force of habit, he supposed. Loki seemed amused, anyway. He loved making him laugh. Even if he had to make a fool out of himself to drag it out. It made his heart race, the fact that he was just getting to talk to him like this again. Like they used to.

Eventually, Loki asked about the implant at the center of his chest. The glow bathed his face in blue when he examined it, making an odd effect combined with the green glowing eyes.

“Its a power reactor I designed. High energy output in a supercondensed core.” Tony explained. “I use it to power my suit.”

“Why not just install it in the suit?”

“Ah well, I power a lot of shit with it, it's actually been kinda awesome in the workshop. A power source wherever I am. No need for extension cords!”

“…yeah that sounds like you.”

Tony grinned.

Now, though, Loki couldn't really talk with him while he worked through the checklist with the technicians. Those tech crates were sealed up tight, too. Made sense; if they had to be around technicians, there was no way they would risk anything other than packing them up tighter than an airlock. So Tony leaned against one of the walls and played around with schematics from his wrist implant, glancing up now and then to stare; it was still hard to believe his eyes when he looked at Loki.

Sometimes, over the years, he wondered if his dreams exaggerated the young man’s alluring looks. If he was remembering him more perfectly than he was. He didn't have any photos of him to confirm or deny; something he never failed to regret not acquiring. Now here he was, more beautiful than in Tony’s dreams. Grown up, grown out, standing there like a graceful marble statue. A real work of art. The renaissance artists of Old Earth would have used him as a muse and torn their hair out in frustration for the inability to capture that beauty.

Tony scrunched his nose. The fuck had gotten into him? Such sappy thoughts. He really hoped Loki wasn't reading them right now. He did say Ghosts were forbidden from using their mindreading powers when it wasn't part of a mission, and that he wouldn't have invaded Tony’s privacy even if that wasn't a factor. Tony trusted him on that.

Loki was leaning on one of the metal crates left around the facility, one foot planted on the ground and the other resting against the side of the crate, flipping through his holographic clipboard. The pair of technicians he had been working with were busy making sure one of the larger, more fragile containment units made it into the starship safely. The area was buzzing with activity aside, various technicians and engineers bustling about at their tasks. Everyone was in a rush to reach the liftoff deadline.

Suddenly, a man pulled away from the pack and strolled up to Loki. A lead engineer, by the looks of his uniform. Tony had seen him supervising the other engineers earlier. He looked to be about early thirties, a grease smear and stubble on his face, cigarette in his mouth; not much of a looker.

He shoved his hands in his pockets, a cocky expression on his face. “So, Loki. When you gonna let a guy tap?” He smirked suggestively.

Loki lifted his gaze from the clipboard, and raised an eyebrow at him. “Try _never_ , Dallas.”

“Aw, come on. I may not be pretty, but I got a big dick.”

Tony pulled away from the wall, staring at this exchange with an incredulous expression. Who the hell did this guy think he was?

“Try shooting within your own league.” Loki looked back down at his work dismissively.

“Oh, says the guy who lets _marines_ fuck him.” Dallas scoffed.

“You wanna know the nice thing about fucking marines?” Loki had a cold look to his glance. “Its their mortality rate. They're a lot less likely to spread tales of their sexual escapades if they're dead.” His voice was dangerous.

Dallas’s face scrunched in mild horror as he stared at Loki. “That's fucked up.”

“This is a fringe world in the middle of a galactic warzone. Death is just part of life.”

“Well those marines’ tales must be coming from beyond the grave, because I heard two of ‘em did you at once last week.”

Loki groaned, eyes rolling up to the ceiling. “Seriously?”

“You know, I have a buddy who’s a lot prettier than me, I could just be the guy in the back, you wouldn't even have to look at me-”

“Dallas. We’re not fucking. Drop it.”

Tony found himself taking steps forward. This guy was _so_ dead if he kept this up.

“You damned Ghosts think you're so much better than the rest of us.” Dallas scowled, clearly bitter for the rejection. “Buncha fuckin’ twinks. Anyone could take you.” The cigarette dropped from his mouth onto the ground. He took a step forward threateningly, like he intended to prove that statement. Loki glanced up, his gaze challenging. Daring him to do something.

“Hey, asshole.” Tony raised his voice when he reached them, interrupting the exchange. Dallas turned his angry glare on him. “You know you're talking to Fury’s Number One, right?” Tony reminded him.

“Oh, another _marine_ I’ll assume you've fucked.” Dallas sneered. Guy clearly had some kind of status complex.

Loki didn't even grace him with a glance, addressing Tony instead. “Don't bother, Stark. Kid’s brain is stuck in high school.”

“I'm a fuckin’ _lead engineer_ you self-right-”

Tony stepped right up to Dallas, a hand very clearly gripping his holstered side-arm. “Hey. Fuck off.” He said in a faux pleasant voice, dripping with threat.

The anger drained out of the man in an instant as he stared at Tony’s armed hand, the emotion replaced with fear; the fight or flight mechanism seeming to have realized he was in danger and kicked in. He backed away slowly, hands raised in surrender.

“Turn around and go back to your buddies.” Tony growled. He made a point to click the ammo barrel on his gun.

Dallas swallowed and, after glancing back at Loki briefly, soon obeyed. Face drained of all color, he scurried away quickly, and disappeared into the fray.

Tony let his bristling stature relax, and let go of the gun.

“I could have handled that.” Loki said evenly.

Tony glanced at him. Those green eyes betrayed no hint of having been frazzled by any of that. Not like Tony’s; he knew his brown eyes were full of protective rage. “He was totally about to come at you.”

Loki shrugged, and closed his clipboard by sliding the metal bars together with a click. He pushed away from the crate and slipped the collapsed clipboard rod back into his belt. “I could have handled it.”

Tony blinked, watching as Loki turned and started to cross the floor. He wondered, now, how exactly Loki would have handled it. He walked quickly to catch up to Loki, falling into step beside him. “These guys sure don't seem to respect you enough for Fury’s Number One.” He stated.

“Eh, these engineers are all hopped up on stims.” Loki shrugged. “Too much to get done in too little time. Makes their logic centers a bit fried.”

“Are you seriously defending that douchebag?”

“Nah, just saying I wouldn't expect much in the way of respect from them.” Loki shrugged. He busied his hands as they walked out of the building by undoing the hairtye and shaking his raven black hair out of the bun. “Besides, I've only been Number One for like… I don't know, not even a year? They haven't learned to fear me yet. And being a Ghost doesn't help. They have no idea what I even do.” He sighed.

“Why doesn't Fury do something about that?”

“You really think these hardheads would respect me more if I hid behind Fury?”

“…fair point.”

Loki smiled a little and brushed his fingers against Tony’s arm. “Appreciate the concern, though.”

Tony stared down at his arm in a mild stun. That little touch had set his skin on fire, and he still felt the tingle. He’d forgotten what those soft hands felt like.

“Did you really have a threesome?” Tony couldn't stop his mouth this time. It just came out unexpectedly. He hadn't even been thinking about it. He was honestly more impressed than jealous. Wasn't like Tony had taken a vow of celibacy since Loki had disappeared either.

Loki choked, putting a hand to his mouth. He glanced over at Tony, now-loose hair falling over the side of his face. “I ah, need to go, Tony.” He sounded like he was trying to hold down a laugh. “I have to report to the Director before liftoff.”

Tony smirked. “Alright. See you later?”

“Definitely.” Loki smiled, dipped his head and pulled away; heading towards the command building.

Tony slowed his pace, watching Loki disappear with a sigh. He hoped they would get more time together in the upcoming days. He knew he would have to share it with Thor, but that was all the more reason to hope Loki didn't have too many duties to attend to up there in warp space.

“Hey, Tony.”

Tony turned to see Rhodey jogging up to him. He looked like he’d worked up a sweat. Morning jog, Tony assumed.

“Hey, bud.” Tony greeted when his friend reached him.

The man took a moment to catch his breath, before gesturing in the other direction. “That Loki you were with?”

“Yeah.”

“Haven't gotten a chance to ask how it went, last night.” Rhodey said. “Can I assume by the fact that you two are hanging out that everything is good?”

Tony shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets. “It's weird, honestly. And awkward as hell.” He glanced at Rhodey. “I really didn't think I was gonna see him again. _Ever_.”

“I know.”

“Its kinda jarring. But…” Tony looked away to the horizon and sighed.

“But what?” Rhodey crossed his arms.

“It honestly surprised me a little to realize, you'd think after 12 years… but I think I'm still in love.” Rhodey was the only one Tony didn't feel too self conscious being sappy around. The man had heard a lot worse from him.

Rhodey smirked and patted Tony on the back, pushing him forward a bit so the pair could start slowly walking forward together. “Well _I'm_ not surprised. You never got over him.”

“You don't get it though. Things are so different. _He's_ different. Like some things are similar, in moments but… well maybe not even, maybe I'm just projecting memories because his face is the same…” Tony sighed as they walked along, the dust crunching under their feet. “What if I'm more in love with the memory than the new man?”

“Nobody changes _that_ much, Tony. He's just grown up, that's all. Give it time. You'll get to know him again.”

Tony nodded, but didn't say anything. He hoped Rhodey was right. He _needed_ Rhodey to be right.

As they walked the circumference, Tony glanced up at the massive starship that would serve as their home for the next few days. The staging point for their dangerous mission.

It was a Behemoth-class Battlecruiser, kinda the shape of a hammer with jet wings. The monster was half the size of a small city, and really felt like one; crews ranged from 4-7k individuals, and the ships were complete with countless recreational facilities.

All Behemoth Battlecruisers were protected by heavy neosteel armor and force fields, powered by a Collosus-class reactor, and armed to the teeth. Used as capital ships, they were devastating in war; capable of aerial defense and surface bombardment. Nuclear warheads and side-firing burst laser batteries. Ruinous against ground forces, precise against air forces. Most devastating, though, was the legendary Yamato cannon; a long-range plasma weapon capable of decimating entire cities.

Stability for the inhabitants was achieved via gravity accelerators, allowing the interior of the ship to achieve a gravitational pull similar to all Terran worlds. Though at non-warp speeds the ships were quite slow and cumbersome, they were capable of long-distance as well as short-distance warp jumps. In Behemoth and later classes, they could operate in atmospheric conditions thanks to the antigravity technology that kept the massive beast from plummeting under a planet’s gravitational pull.

There was truly nothing so terrifying when facing an enemy fleet as a Battlecruiser appearing slowly through the atmosphere. The size was awe-inspiring and promised nothing less than total devastation. Even grounded they were intimidating; and the one Tony was gazing up at now dwarfed the compound by thousands of percentiles. Like a large dog surrounded by a fleet of micro toy soldiers.

Natural terror aside; once on a Battlecruiser, there was nothing you could hope to travel in that made you feel safer. Tony had been on his fair share of them. Each one had a character. Each one became to its inhabitants one of those vehicles in TV that becomes an endearing part of the team. A ship to go down in.

In a way, it was home. On that Battlecruiser, Tony would be ready for whatever came next.

  
[(Full Image)](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/starcraft/images/a/a5/Hyperion_SC2-HotS_Art1.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20160224193953)


	3. Welcome To Flavortown

“This ship is a hell of a lot nicer than the last one.”

“Guess that's one of the perks of riding with the Director of the whole damn army.”

Tony and Rhodey were walking side-by-side down the halls of the great starship, strolling casually as they explored what was to be their home for the coming months. Rhodey had been correct; the Carrier was larger and neater than the lesser-class Battlecruiser they had taken to their deployment on Arius-3 a year ago. The structure looked fresh out of the printers, the halls kept clean, the layout tidy. There were a few types of rec rooms Tony had never even heard about before, and he intended to try them all.

“I hear they sell Nuke Noodles in the convenience store up here.” Rhodey stated.

Tony perked his head up so fast he got whiplash. “Oh my god, are you serious?”

“Apparently you're only allowed one cup a week for the sake of supply so there's some crazy market value on the ship.”

“Who the hell would sell their Nuke Noodles?”

“Dudes who want more powerful stims or are saving for a gun upgrade probably.”

“But _Nuke Noodles_.”

“You know not everybody gets free C-14s and resistance paint, right? Boys gotta work for it, and sometimes that means no Nuke Noodles for a while.”

“I would give up my armor for Nuke Noodles.”

“No you fucking wouldn't.”

“Yeah, you're right. And don't tell her I said that either. She's sensitive.”

The convenience store wasn't as packed as Tony would have imagined, for a place that supplied Nuke Noodles. It was busy for sure, but when any food other than an MRE was involved, people usually went batshit crazy. Well, it was still pretty early. The ship had only just hit warp half an hour ago, most people were probably still unpacking.

Tony and Rhodey got in line at the dispenser. The air was humid with the smell of broth, and Tony’s mouth was watering. He couldn't remember the last time he’d had them. Just a cup of rehydratable noodles in chicken broth with some veggies and seasoning; junk, really. But it was one of those treats that became more and more beautiful the longer you went without it. Like a chocolate bar after living on nothing but dehydrated potatoes for months.

“Egg?” The man at the counter already sounded bored with the line he would be saying a hundred times today.

“Hell yes.” Tony said enthusiastically. The man nodded and poured a bit of a yellowish tan substance into the noodle cup before handing it over. It wasn't real egg of course, just some reconstituted substitute. But it added a little extra body to the food.

Tony gazed into that beautiful cup, the steam curling up into his nose. The long, yellow noodles filled high and soaking in broth. The little green and orange vegetables mixed in. It smelled like after school days with the boys, stopping in at a convenience store and dicking around while they ate their crappy noodles. It smelled like 3am stumbling home from a party and stopping into the only place open 27 hours. It smelled like-

“Isn't that Loki?” Rhodey interrupted Tony’s train of thought to nod over to their right.

Tony snapped out of his noodle haze to glance over. Sure enough, there was Loki stirring a steaming cup of noodles, standing next to some guy who was gesturing emphatically. Loki had his mask of positivity and professionalism on, but Tony noticed his eye twitching a bit.

“Kinda looks like a dude that needs saving from an unwanted conversation.” Rhodey noted.

Tony grinned. “You know I can't resist a damsel in distress.”

The pair headed over, cups held carefully so as not to spill a single precious drop. As they got nearer, they could hear the man’s voice over the noisy room.

“…so really it just makes a lot more sense to have game room 3 closer to the engine bay-”

“Loki! There you are!” Tony planted his hand on Loki’s shoulder, interrupting the other man. “We have some very important news from the Captain that you need to hear _right away_.”

Loki nodded seriously, though the edge of his mouth was twitching from a held-back smirk. “Ah yes, I've been waiting for his report.” He glanced back at the man. “I'm afraid I have important business to attend to.”

“Oh, alright. But you'll take my suggestion to Director Fury?” The man looked a bit anxious.

“Oh yes, _directly_ to him.”

The man smiled, looking satisfied and stalked off.

Loki let out an annoyed breath, seeming to deflate a little. “Gods, I thought I was going to have to listen to another 20 minutes of that.”

Tony laughed, dropping his hand back to hold his cup with both. “The hell was that about?”

“They failed to tell me that accepting the position as Number One meant I can't go anywhere without someone pitching their ideas for ‘improvements.’ Kid thinks I have some kind of power over the ship layout, it seems.”

“Wait, you don't?” Rhodey had an amused smirk on his face. “So you can't get me a bigger shower?”

“I hear if you paint a room a lighter color it’ll _look_ bigger. Although I'm pretty sure all we have for paint here is resistant black.”

“Oh god, I'm feeling claustrophobic just thinking about it.”

Tony laughed and pat his friend on the back. “Loki, this is Rhodey. He's been my best friend since elementary school.”

Loki smiled and extended a hand after shifting his noodle cup into the other. “It's good to finally meet you. Tony mentioned you a lot, all those years ago.”

“Likewise.” Rhodey grinned and met Loki’s hand in a firm shake. “Good to finally meet the guy Tony’s never been able to shut up about.”

Tony choked. “ _Rhodey_.”

Rhodey just shrugged at him.

Loki laughed, thankfully didn't respond to that, and stirred his cup of noodles. “Shall we sit before lunch gets cold?” He gestured to an empty table.

The three men headed over to the small table, packed in with several others that held people of all classes savoring their cups of noodles. Down here at the little noodle dispenser, it seemed all were equals. All equally just wanting their damned noodles.

“I imagine you're usually on this ship?” Tony asked Loki after he had slurped down a satisfying forkful of warm noodles. “Considering it's Fury’s.”

“When I'm not on a mission, yes.”

“So that means you've been blessed with noodles for a long time.”

“Not so long as to take them for granted.” Loki’s lip curled in a faint smirk. “I'll never know what it is about them that makes me eager each week.”

“Some kinda secret ingredient maybe?” Rhodey suggested before taking another bite.

“I mean, for me it's definitely the nostalgia.” Tony said through a mouthful.

“True, can't imagine Saturday morning cartoons without the Nuke Noodles commercials.” Rhodey agreed.

Loki put a hand to his mouth and spoke in a forced deep voice that sounded like a mask filter under his hand, “Nuke Noodles. Call down the flavor.” He quoted the commercial.

Tony nearly spit out his noodles laughing.

“Ok that was like, scary close.” Rhodey laughed hard.

When they all recovered from their laugh, Rhodey leaned his arms on the table. “So, tell me Loki.” He pointed at Tony with his fork. “How’d you get this stubborn ass to read _books_ back in the day?”

“Hey, I've always read books.” Tony argued.

“Not textbooks and manuals, dumbass. I mean like _book_ books.”

Loki spread his hands. “Tony's a passionate person, I was a passionate person. Maybe he just wanted to see what all the hype was about.”

“I wasn't asking about ya’ll’s sex life.”

“ _Rhodey_.”

Loki smirked. “I did walk into that one.”

“And humble too.” Rhodey grinned. “Tony, ya boy here really is the whole package.”

“Rhodey.” Tony looked at him with his eyebrows raised. “Stop being one of those weird moms. I am fully capable of handling my own flirting.”

“Oh really? Prove it.” Rhodey folded his arms.

Loki smirked, resting his chin on his hand, “I’m looking forward to this.”

“Alright, alright.” Tony thought for a moment, and then gave Loki his most sultry expression. “Hey baby, do you like glazed or creme filled?”

“Oh my god Tony.” Rhodey planted his face in his hand. Loki shook his head but his grin was wide with amusement.

“Why don't you come on over here, sit on my lap, and we'll talk about the first thing that pops up?” Tony winked.

That one got Loki to snort with laughter. “ _Classic_.”

“Boy, you’re hopeless.” Rhodey shook his head.

“Ah, well.” Loki stirred the remaining noodles in his cup. “Men have gotten me home for less.”

“So what you're saying is; there's still hope for my boy here.”

“You keep this up buddy and I'm putting those Reaper thrusters for you at the bottom of my list.” Tony scowled.

“Guess you'll just have to keep carrying me and my princess ass, sir knight.”

Loki chuckled and glanced down at his wrist interface. “Well, I’ve got a meeting to attend.” He stood up from the table and dipped his head. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Rhodey.” Then he nodded towards Tony, “Thanks for keeping him alive for me.”

“It was harder than you might think.” Rhodey sighed.

“Oh, I have some idea.”

Tony shook his head and pat Rhodey on the shoulder. “Don't work too hard, Loki. You'll end up sprouting grays early like this guy.”

“The trick is to make it _look_ like you're working hard.” Loki tapped his temple and turned away. “Later, boys.”

Tony and Rhodey watched him go until he disappeared down the hall. Then Rhodey turned to his friend and said, “I like him.”

“Get your own.” Tony grinned, before stuffing his face with noodles.

 

—

 

_12 years ago_

 

“What do you think about going for a walk?” Tony asked the floating screen displaying Loki where he lounged in his bedroom, reading the hologram of a book.

Tony had spent the morning tinkering in his workshop, and was currently relaxing and twirling a fine wrench in his hand. It had been well over a week since he first met Loki, and they hadn't failed to speak every day since; whether it was via text or live video feed. But Tony hadn't seen the boy in person since that first day, and he felt a weird longing to do so.

Hologram-Loki blinked. “A walk? Like… outside?”

“Yeah, you know, together?” Tony smirked in amusement. It was a bit of a risk to ask; he wasn't quite sure where they stood, to be honest with himself. Loki was an odd one, and he was very hard to read. He seemed to enjoy their interactions; always either excitedly rambling about some Old Earth book or song or cultural reference, or listening intently as Tony went on about his tinkering and projects. The boy was extremely intelligent, it hadn't taken long for Tony to figure that out. His reasonings on philosophy and his vast well of knowledge was dizzying, and he was capable of understanding Tony’s mechanical interests in surprising competence after very little explanation. He also had a quick tongue, and was snarky as hell; never one to back down from a verbal challenge.

Tony had a fair amount of intelligent friends, but something about Loki drew him in. He was intriguing, and Tony wanted to know everything about him. Normally he was a pretty impatient person; but for Loki, he was happy to work with the barriers his condition made between them.

Hologram-Loki rubbed his neck. “I don't know… if I can handle a lot of noise right now.”

“I know a park, it's kinda squeezed into the corner of a few buildings on the edge of the city so it's not too well-known. It's usually very empty. We could go there.” Tony offered. He smiled, though, and added, “You can say no, just an idea.”

Loki was silent for a long time, and Tony was certain he was going to decline. But finally, he spoke up, “Alright. Where is it?”

Tony beamed, “66xb, just past that big ugly government building.”

“If I walk, I can be there in…” Loki looked up thoughtfully. “30ish minutes.”

Tony dropped his wrench on the ground with a loud clang in his eagerness to jump to his feet, and cringed at the sound of metal hitting metal. He turned back to the hologram screen with a smile. “Should be about 40 minutes for me, I'll head out now!” His workshop, an extension of his father’s, was deeper into Tarsonis City than his home, which meant he would have to take one of the maglev sky trains out.

Loki had a faint smile on his face. His eyes betrayed a hint of anxiety, which made Tony feel a little bad. But they also had a determination to them. Tony knew he wouldn't do this if he really wasn’t up for it.

“See you then.” Loki said, before cutting the connection.

Tony looked down at himself as he headed out of the workshop and cursed. His clothes were covered in grease; he’d need to change and make it quick if he didn't want to keep Loki waiting.

 

About 45 minutes later, Tony found himself out of breath in the warm, dry, Tarsonis air. He’d pulled on the nicer button-up and less junky dark jeans that he kept on-hand at the workshop for quick-change situations like this. He kept a sharp lookout in this area in case he happened to bump into Loki heading over as well, but so far there had been no sign of that messy raven hair.

The park came into view as he walked. It was a bit shaded compared to the more popular parks, sitting in the shadow of the massive towers around it. The grass wasn't super green, and weird shade-loving plants and fungi native to Tarsonis had crept in that the groundskeepers clearly weren't overly concerned about. But Tony knew it as a nice place to jog when he didn't want any chance of running into anyone he knew.

He spotted a few people strolling about, most just walking their various species of pets. Some species descended from the Earth embryos stored on the original supercarriers of the Long Sleep (the trip spent in cryosleep for the pioneers sent unwillingly from Earth through warp space to the fringe of the galaxy, 60k lightyears distance), others were domesticated alien species. Thankfully, as he'd told Loki, there really weren't many people around.

Speaking of, Tony perked up when he spotted that scrawny figure standing at the edge of the park, facing away from Tony. He knew it was Loki, and his heart skipped a beat.

Today he was wearing a green T-shirt over a striped half-sleeve, fitted black pants and short brown boots. A small backpack was thrown over one of his shoulders, the other strap hanging down. He could see vapor curling away from his face, his pen between his fingers, and sound pieces in his ears. He felt a little wistful at that; seems he’d pulled out every anti-anxiety stop he had available to him just to make it to this park.

As he approached the kid, Tony faltered a little. He wasn't really sure how to get his attention without startling him. But oddly, Loki seemed to sense his presence long before Tony figured out how to handle it, and turned his head. Spotting Tony, he turned to greet him, reaching up to switch off his earpieces.

Tony flashed a grin, “Guess I haven't been talking to a highly advanced AI after all.” Loki smirked at that.

Tony had a cup of steaming liquid in each of his hands, and when he reached Loki, he handed one to him. “Hope I remembered your order correctly. Black tea with sugar?”

Loki looked surprised as he took the drink, shoving his pen in his back pocket with his other hand. “You didn't have to do that.”

Tony shrugged. “It was on the way.”

“Are you going to let me pay for it this time?”

“Dude, I'm loaded, relax.”

Loki sighed and took a sip of the steaming drink. In that half-sleeve, Tony could plainly see his medical implant, bound by the two metal cuffs. He wondered if it was because Tony already knew about it that he didn't try to hide it, or if he usually didn't care to hide it. It would be something Tony would probably feel self conscious about, personally. But Loki really didn't interact with other humans much. He probably just didn't care.

“Shall we?” Tony gestured into the park with his free hand.

Loki grabbed the strap of his backpack, adjusted it and nodded. The pair of them started walking into the park, not bothering to step on the path. Maybe not the best idea for such an unkempt park; who knew what kind of malicious bugs and plant spores one might pick up in that grass. But they were both wearing covering shoes and pants; Tony wasn't worried.

This park, at the very edge of Tarsonis City, had air as fresh as it got out here. Loki seemed to be enjoying it; closed his eyes for a minute and breathed it in. He spent a lot of time indoors with the windows closed. He told Tony once that he’d take all the fresh air he could get.

It was the afternoon, and the sun was just dipping down past the high noon center. Two of the four moons of Tarsonis were just barely visible in the sky at the moment. Tony peered up at them through the trees.

“Ender and Orson.” Loki called out the names of the moons. “The names reference an Old Earth book series, you know.”

Tony looked at him in surprise. “Really?”

“Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card. I ah, won't say anything on the author… I personally wouldn't have named a whole moon after him.” He scrunched his nose a bit in distaste. “But the Ender’s Game series was considered core sci-fi reading for at least a century.”

“What's it about?”

“A genius kid named Ender that gets drafted to fight some insectoid aliens.”

“…sounds awful timely.” Tony said, referring to the Zerg invasion threatening the Terrans at this very moment.

**_(NOTE: MAJOR ENDER’S GAME SPOILERS AHEAD. Section not crucial reading. Skip ahead to the end tag if you want to avoid spoiling.)_ **

“Sci fi works were often quite prophetic. Though generally society fulfilled their own prophecies through inspiration by the works themselves. The Zerg though, as insectoid aliens… you couldn't call that one self-fulfilling.” Loki sipped his tea thoughtfully. “The ‘Buggers’, as they’re called in the book however, didn't end up being so bad. For them and the humans, the problem was the inability to communicate. The Buggers could only communicate mind-to-mind with each other. So they and the humans killed each other out of fear, because they could not speak to each other.”

“How did it end?”

“The Buggers figured out how to talk to Ender through a game he played that he could control with his mind. But he figured out it was them too late. He already killed them all. Destroyed their planet.”

“Jeez. That's… tragic.”

“He found the one and only surviving pupa of a Bugger Queen, though. She followed the mental connection of the game to find his mind, and was able to speak to him. He promised he’d find her a new world, so she could give birth to her race again.”

Tony felt a tingling, alien emotion creep into his mind, and shivered. He had the sense that this part of the story meant something more to Loki.

_**(SPOILERS END HERE)** _

“What were you reading today?” Tony asked, eager to be rid of the odd feeling.

“The Alchemist. It was an allegorical about a shepherd boy who goes on a journey to a faraway land in search for treasure from a dream he had. It's a lot better than it sounds. I’ve been cranking through it.”

“Sorry to drag you away from it.” Tony said wistfully.

Loki glanced over and smiled slightly, though. “I'm glad you did.”

Tony blinked in surprise at that.

“You know, for the free drink.” Loki smirked into the cup.

Tony scowled playfully. “Oh, so you're just here for my money.”

“Yup.”

“And here I thought we were having a moment.”

Loki’s smirk faded, and he looked down, face serious. “We were having a moment.” His voice was soft.

Tony narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

“A moment of realization that you'll never be anything more than a sugar daddy.” Loki managed to keep a completely straight face as he said this.

“…you little shit!”

Loki laughed, and Tony couldn't help but join in. It was good to see him in such a playful mood. Even after just over a week, just over chat and video stream, Tony had experienced him in a variety of moods; from exhausted to relaxed to frustrated to cheery. He liked it when he was cheery and playful most.

“Oh, wow.” Loki breathed, stopping in his tracks. Tony glanced up.

They’d reached the edge of the park that peeked out between two tall buildings. After the park, there was nothing but wilderness below. A straight drop from the city platform, protected by a railing; scrubland and savannah forest stretched on as far as the eye could see. The landscape was painted gold in the afternoon sunlight, the sky dotted by few, wispy clouds.

“Nice view, right?” Tony gestured to the edge. “There's a bench, if you wanna sit and look out.”

Loki dragged his eyes away from the view long enough to nod, and they pushed on towards the bench. The bench was marble, subtle cracks sported green lines of lichen, vines had claimed one edge; and the dedication had been eaten away by rust long ago. It wasn't the most comfortable bench in Tarsonis. But it was a quiet place, seemingly ignored by the civilized world.

There Tony and Loki sat side-by-side, lounging and watching the sun stretch across the sky in silence, listening to the warm, lazy breeze tug at dried leaves and sand grains across the pavement of the pathway. It was a peaceful and comfortable quiet. Though the horizon was filled with an endless wilderness, it felt like a little pocket universe, a golden bubble framed by the darkness of civilization. It was easy to forget that there was anything beyond the edges.

“Sometimes I wish I could become the wind.” Loki said softly, almost to himself. Tony glanced over at him as he went on. “Millions of particles, free from the bindings of form. Just flowing out there, into the wild world. Through the sky and trees.” His eyes were a bit glazed.

Tony stared at him. Well, it wasn't the strangest thing he’d heard from someone up on HCD.

Loki shook his head, like he was shaking off a daze. He had a light blush on his cheeks. “Sorry. Got The Alchemist on my mind I guess.”

“Oh no, that's an interesting thought.” Tony looked out at the horizon. “It would be the ultimate freedom. I get it.” It was a dream for someone who wasn't free at all. Someone who felt trapped.

Loki looked at him curiously. Seeming to study him for a long moment. Maybe trying to decide whether he was being genuine, maybe in a wonder that Tony even played along with his odd ponderings.

Then he picked up his small backpack from where it was leaning against the leg of the bench. “So… remember when you said you might be able to fix broken Old Earth tech?”

Tony rested his arm on the back of the bench, looking at him. “Yeah, why?”

Loki unzipped the backpack and reached inside. When he brought his arm back out, he held an odd, rectangular device. It was an obnoxious blue, but terribly scuffed up and worn. It had a gray plastic window and bright yellow buttons along the side.

“This is an Old Earth device called a Walkman.” Loki explained. “It played music if you put in these clunky bricks called cassettes which held the songs recorded on magnetic tape wound within.”

Tony blinked and reached out to take the device gingerly; once Loki relinquished it, he turned it over in his hands carefully to examine it.

“I have a few cassettes but the Walkman is broken and refuses to play them.”

“Are you sure it's the Walkman, not the magnetic tape?” Tony asked. “That doesn't sound like something that would survive several hundred years.”

“They were preserved immaculately. Some of very few artifacts subjected to such treatment. The man I got them from thinks they meant a lot to someone on the original supercarrier.” Loki explained. “Records indicated it belonged to a family with the surname Quill, some of the originals directly from Earth. Seems they held a bit of nostalgia for the old days. But anyway, I’m certain it's the Walkman. Do you… think you can do anything with it?”

“Maybe? I'd have to take it apart. I've never worked with anything so… primitive.”

Loki nodded in understanding. “It's the only remotely intact one known to have survived the Long Sleep, so…”

“Be careful, got it. You got a… cassette? For me to work and test with?”

Loki went back into his backpack and pulled out a plastic, vacuum-sealed packet with a rectangular object inside. He held it up to show Tony. “I have five more of these at home. They all contain albums of Old Earth music that didn't get stored on the ATLAS.” His eyes shone bright. “That means if we can fix the Walkman, we can listen to music no one else in the Koprulu Sector ever has in history.”

Tony grinned. “I like the sound of that.”

Loki reached his hand out to take the Walkman from Tony, and stowed it back in the bag carefully. After zipping it back up, he picked up the backpack by the strap and handed it over to Tony, who took it gingerly.

“No promises, but I'll give it my best shot.” Tony said.

Loki smiled. “I really appreciate it.”

“Why haven't you asked one of the professional Old Earth artifact restoration experts?”

“Ah, well… I kinda… stole it.”

Tony raised both eyebrows.

“Don't look at me like that. Damned historians would never let me actually use it.”

“Jesus, Loki.”

“Don't @ me.”

“No I mean; that's kinda badass.”

Loki smirked lightly, looking down at his feet.

Tony grinned and set the backpack on the bench beside him. “Guess this technically makes me a partner in crime.”

“Hope that doesn't bother you too much.”

“Nah, fuck the historians. What's the point of music you can't listen to?”

“Glad you see it my way.”

They sat there for a while longer, watching the sun cross the sky, the sky slowly turn more orange as the day went by them. Tony thought about the task Loki had instructed to him. It was daunting; he didn't know the first thing about Old Earth tech. But he was determined to succeed. It was clearly something important to Loki, and Tony felt like he had to manage it for him.

He refused to take failure as an option. That music would reach Loki’s ears, one way or another.

 

—

 

_Present Day_

 

As one of SHIELD’s capital Battlecruisers, the Carrier had a luxurious interior worthy of its elite crew. A rec room or cantina sat in every section of the ship equipped with every means of recreation an inhabitant could wish for.

For Tony, though, the workshops were his rec rooms. And he’d scored big time with the shop in his area of the ship; considering he worked with advanced technology and some of his team’s suits were under confidentiality locks too high for the average mechanic, Steve had convinced the Director to give the team the room for their own uses. First day in space and Tony already found himself there, tinkering away on his suit, listening to his favorite metal band. He was currently attaching a new module he intended to test out soon. A wire ran from the power core in his chest to the welding torch in his hand, and the blue glow flickered now and then from the power draw.

At the moment, Tony’s suit was outfitted with Reaper jump pack thrusters; another class of power suit built for hit-and-run evasive combat. Original models had full flight capabilities, but the technology was too unstable and difficult to control, and they reverted to short-burst sky jumps for getting out of close combat situations fast and scaling cliffs and buildings.

  
[(Full Image)](https://i.ibb.co/z65ccxr/reaper.png)

Tony was on the verge of a breakthrough, however. He’d set his mind to counteracting the instabilities for a few months now, and intended to give his suit full flight power. If he was successful, he might just try to retrofit the technology to Sam’s Reaper suit as well.

“You're gonna fly, baby.” Tony assured the massive power suit in front of him. “Fly like an _eagle_.”

Suddenly the workshop door slid open, and Tony glanced up. Bruce, curly brown hair messy as ever, was picking his way through the mess of wires and equipment.

“Afternoon, nerd.” Tony greeted him, turning his music off.

“Day one and you've already destroyed the workshop?” Bruce noted as he reached Tony. “You don't mess around.”

“Gotta take my mind off things somehow.”

“I'm not getting baited into playing therapist again.”

“But you're so _good_ at it. Well, when you don't fall asleep.” Tony set down the torch in his hand on the bench in front of him. “What brings you to my kingdom?”

Bruce looked a bit hesitant. He turned his head and glanced around.

“I located and redirected randomly looping decoy data into all SHIELD monitoring devices.” Tony said. “Dampened the walls too. We’re secure.”

“Jeez, you work fast.”

“I've got the system down pat. Works pretty much automatically. What's up?”

Bruce seemed to relax a bit, and leaned back against the bench table. “So, I was looking at the schematics for the psi emitters more closely this morning, and I found something weird.”

“Weird how?”

“They shouldn't be able to work. At all.”

Tony raised an eyebrow. “How so?”

Bruce swiped at his wrist interface and brought up the schematics, which now floated around their heads. “There's kind of a big feature missing; the trigger mechanism. The on and off switch. I have absolutely no idea how they're supposed to be activated. There's no system in place to cause any kind of reaction from the Khaydarin crystals.”

Realization dawned on Tony as he looked at the schematics. “You're right. The device is designed to amplify the psionic emanations of the crystals, but there's nothing there to actually draw the waves into the amplification chamber. And there's no way it's just an ‘always-on’ feature, that would cause a backfeed hurricane in the facility. It would kill the fabricators and researchers. This… doesn't make any sense.”

“It seems to me that SHIELD hasn't actually figured out how to draw psi waves from the crystals. This emitter is… theoretical. It's not actually usable. I'm guessing the already-made devices are just prototypes to prove the schematics can be fabricated, but they don't actually do anything.”

“What the hell does Fury want with theoretical prototypes, then?” Tony scratched his head. “He seems desperate to get it ASAP, but what's the point if he can't use it? Why are we risking our asses for massive paperweights?”

“Exactly. I can't wrap my head around it.”

Tony stared at the floor for a long moment, thinking hard. A thought popped into his head. “Unless this isn't about the psi emitters.”

“What do you mean?”

Tony glanced up, knowledge dawning in his eyes. “The emitters are decoys. We’re _supposed_ to focus on them, to draw attention away from what he really wants.”

“What does he really want, then?”

“The Khaydarin crystals. Think about it; what use even is psi emitter technology? Why would we want to throw waves of something we don't even understand out into the atmosphere? Psi _harnessing_ tech would be useful, a big psi fire hydrant isn't. So I'm willing to bet that facility was researching something else. Something Fury doesn't want us to know about. So he’s letting us believe it's all about the emitters. He pulled that stunt for me to find the schematics so I'd focus on them. But he needs the crystals to use in… whatever else the facility was researching.”

Bruce was nodding. “Sound theory, considering it's Fury we’re talking about. He's a sneaky bastard. But what do we do with this knowledge?”

“There's nothing we can do until we reach Koton.” Tony stroked his beard.

“What would we do different on Koton?”

“Take a look around the facility. See if we can find any data on what they were researching.”

“During a _Zerg assault_?” Bruce scrunched his nose.

“It's the last thing Fury will expect. He's counting on the timing. He's counting on us to be too busy with the Zerg to take a look around.” Tony pat the arm of his power suit. “But we’re gonna make time, buddy.”

Bruce rubbed his neck, a mixture of intrigue and wistfulness in his expression. “I guess it's plausible. I'll see if I can dig up any blueprints on the facility. Doubt I'll find anything, but if we can make a plan of action, figure out where exactly we should start looking, we might give ourselves enough time.”

“Smart, just be careful. We don't need Fury suspecting we’re doing any snooping around.”

“Yeah.” Bruce glanced at the time on his wrist interface. “Speaking of time, Steve sent me to let you know we’re having a squad dinner in the cantina. I guess the Ghosts will be there too.”

“Good ol Steve and his team-building events. Think he’ll make us go around the table saying the furthest point we’ve visited in the Koprulu Sector?”

“It would be better than the personality-type color cards.”

“Oh god don't remind me.”

Bruce chuckled and pulled away from the table. “We should get down there before he sends Clint after us.”

Tony wiped his hands off on a rag and pulled the wire out of his power core, moving to stand up. “Right. Let me stop at my dorm on the way so I can change my shirt.”

 

The cantina was bustling with activity. Rowdy, drunk marines and engineers and technicians filling up the tables and bar, music flowing through the room. The smell of fake, reconstituted cheese-drenched bar snacks mixed with cigar smoke filled the air. The room was pretty good at containing it all, so when the sliding door opened up for Tony and Bruce, the chaos blasted them right in their faces.

They quickly spotted their crew at a long table near the back of the cantina. It looked like everyone was there already. Steve, Sam, Clint, Natasha, Rhodey, Thor. Loki and his team of Stephen, Vision and Wanda sat at the far end together. Everyone was wearing casual civilian clothes, even the Ghosts.

Tony and Bruce headed over to the table. Tony sat down beside Stephen, across from Loki, and Bruce sat on his other side. Everyone was caught up in interactions; Clint and Natasha lighting cigarettes for each other, Sam was laughing hysterically at something Rhodey said, and Wanda and Vision seemed preoccupied with a game where they fought telekinetically over a floating spoon. They seemed evenly matched, and it was pretty unnerving to watch it shake from the force.

“C'mon Wanda, we know you're holding back.” Stephen taunted her. “Afraid to embarrass your boyfriend?” She turned her sharp blue eyes on the man in annoyance, but it didn't break her concentration.

Vision chuckled. “I appreciate the gesture, but we both know you're stronger.”

The spoon suddenly shot through the air past Vision’s head, and he blinked in surprise. Wanda smirked. “In this, perhaps.” It was the first time Tony had heard her speak. She had a gravelly voice and an accent remnant from Old Earth Eastern Europe. Her red coat stood out brightly in the dim of the cantina.

Tony smirked and looked away, back to Loki. He was wearing a dark green cold shoulder T-shirt and his hair was hanging loose. His elbow was propped up on the table, his cheek resting against his hand. His other hand rested on a short glass of what was probably a White Russian. Tony could faintly smell the coffee liqueur.

“Please tell me we’re getting something better than MREs for dinner.” Tony said, glancing between the Odinson brothers.

Loki smirked, “Yeah. Prepare for a lot of dirty looks from everyone else in the cantina, though.” His eyes were a bit glazed. He seemed like he’d polished off one drink already.

“Babe, if I don't get a certain number of dirty looks in a day I consider myself a failure.”

Thor chuckled through the cigar in his mouth. “Perhaps we can liberate extra food once again and become the heroes of the night.”

“Buddy, if we’re liberating extra food it's all going to you, and we all know it.”

Thor raised his hands in mock defeat.

“Good of you to finally join us.” Steve said to Tony and Bruce when he spotted them, crossing his arms. “Busy getting up to more trouble?”

“You know it, boss.” Tony pointed a finger gun at him.

“Just don't blow up any reactors on the ship.” Steve sighed tiredly.

“What, you don't wanna experience warp space like no man has before?”

“Where is your sense of adventure, Captain?” Thor chimed in with a grin.

“I swear to god, Thor, if you turn this into another masculinity test I'm going to eject you into space myself.” Steve threatened.

“You do still need to tell me that story.” Loki glanced at his brother.

“The reactor one?”

“If that's your most recent escapade, then yes.”

Thor grinned and swirled the ice around in his short glass of whiskey, cigar between his fingers. “That is indeed a good one.” He glanced up at Tony. “Most of it was Stark, though, so he will have to help me tell it.”

Tony smirked, “Yeah, lemme grab a drink first.” He whacked Bruce on the arm as he went to get up from the table. “You want anything from the bar?”

“Umm, I’ll just start with their daily draft.” Bruce said.

“You got it.”

Tony headed over to the crowded bar, squeezing between two men to reach the bartender. He connected his wrist implant to the tab database, resting his arm on the bar.

“What can I get ya?” The bartender asked Tony as he was sliding a drink over to another patron.

“Whiskey on the rocks and a daily draft.”

“Right up.”

Tony walked back to the table, holding the two glasses carefully as he went, avoiding bumping into bodies. When he reached the table, he set Bruce’s drink down in front of him and then tipped his own glass back for a long sip. He grimaced and shook his head, and sat down.

“Right, where did it start?” Tony asked.

“There was a compound on the far side of Arius-3 that went dark. Scouts discovered it had fallen to a Zerg infestation of devastating proportions.” Thor leaned forward as he began the story. “Not like on Koton, but it was enough to consider the facility a loss. However, we received communication that a group of scientists had managed to barricade themselves within. Thus, we were tasked with getting them out alive.”

Loki and the other Ghosts had turned to listen to the story.

“So yeah, we smash in before the Zerg knew what hit em, grab the scientists, and make our way out with them.” Tony swirled his whiskey.

“Of course, as the Zerg became alerted, it became more difficult to get out with the scientists. We had to fight our way out while protecting them.” Thor continued. “It was a glorious battle. Zerglings and Hydralisks in all directions. I daresay each of us killed a hundred.”

“Thor and I kinda got separated from the group at some point.” Tony took a sip of his drink. “As we were making our way out, I saw the compound’s primary reactor. It was a Medusa class; pretty outdated tech. I knew it wouldn't take much to overload it, and the explosion would be extensive. So I thought… hey while we’re here, why don't we actually destroy all these Zerg.”

“Tony told me his plan and I readily agreed.” Thor added. “If we could take out most of the hive in one blast, it would be less costly for the army to come in to eradicate it. It would save many lives.”

“We were contacted by the Cap. They’d gotten the scientists to a safe distance and wanted to know our status. I told him my idea. He ah, wasn't all for it.”

“He ordered us to leave immediately and by no means explode the reactor, in fact.”

“So we did what we thought was best. Which was… explode the reactor.” Tony grinned. “Thor fought off the Swarm while I worked on overloading the system. Figured we had about eight minutes to make it out before we took ourselves out with the blast too, so as soon as I set the program we hightailed it outta there.”

“We had to fight through a great many Zerg to get out, however, and were slowed down.” Thor said.

“Also turns out we had more like five minutes to get out. Needless to say we cut it very close. I managed to jump boost ahead when the blast happened behind us.” He glanced at Thor. “The tail end of it kinda… caught Thor though.”

Loki’s eyebrows furrowed as he gazed at his brother. “Were you injured?”

Their shrugged off his concern. “A few minor burns. My suit took the brunt of the blast.”

“Reckless, but admirable.” Vision put in. “As I recall from the report, there was another compound a few hours away from that one; if the Swarm had been allowed to fester, they likely would have gone after it next.”

Loki sipped his drink. “I imagine you were disciplined for disobeying a direct order, though?”

“Kinda. I think Steve took it easy on us.” Tony shrugged. “Not sure why.”

Loki nodded and glanced over at the Captain, who was having an animated discussion with Natasha. “I think he saw it was the right thing, even admired your bravery.”

Tony mulled that over in his head for a while.

Steve stood up at the foot at the table and cleared his throat. Everyone looked at him expectantly. “I just wanted to thank our new companions for joining us for dinner. I’m sure we all look forward to working more closely together in the near future.” Tony tried not to groan. “As a little activity to get to know each other better, I was thinking maybe we could go around the table and say what the furthest world in the Koprulu sector we’ve been to.”

Tony didn't hold back his groan this time, and he was echoed by a chorus. Loki was hiding a smirk behind his drink.

Stephen Strange glanced up at the Captain. “Ah, Captain, while that sounds… amusing.” He spoke up. “I'm afraid that's classified information for us at this end of the table.”

Steve blinked, realization dawning on him. “Oh, of course.” His scratched his neck. “Ah… anyone wanna do personality cards?”

Tony stood up now and raised his glass, interrupting Steve and drawing attention away from him. “To uh, new friendship!” He shook the ice around in his glass, casting exaggerated smiles around the table and receiving amused raised glasses in return before sitting down again.

Steve sat down as well with a sigh. Sam pat his shoulder.

More stories were shared at the table over the next few hours. Clint and Natasha re-enacted the time they were pinned down together during a skirmish against a rebel alliance group. They amped up a lot of the drama for comedic effect and had several people snorting their drinks from their noses. Sam described the time during a raid where one of the thrusters on his Reaper suit had blown mid-jump and he’d spiraled straight into a nest of Banelings; the volatile chemical-filled kamikaze units of the Zerg Swarm. The table convinced him to lift his shirt to show everyone the chemical burn scars on his torso, which led to many of them drunkenly gushing about his abs for the next 30 minutes.

Dinner came, and the room was filled with the delicious fragrances of the elite dinner; everything from creamy cheese garlic chicken to juicy, loaded burgers. Loki had been right about the dirty glares around the room, Tony felt them burning the back of his neck. He couldn't blame them. When all you had to eat is rehydrated almost-cheese on pretzels and MREs for months to years on end, the smell of real food was absolute torture.

Loki surprised Tony with his appetite, considering he hadn't had much of one back when Tony knew him. He finished his shallot-grilled salmon in record time and was stealing bites from the people around him. Tony couldn't help but stare in wonder.

“What?” Loki asked through a French fry.

“Where do you put it all?”

“It seems to go straight to my ass and thighs. I'm really not complaining. Thick thighs save lives.”

Tony choked on his burger.

They all ended up getting to know the other Ghosts a little better, even without Steve’s team-building exercises. Vision was a bit of a mystery, but he was genuine and caring and empathetic. He was likable. He asked people questions about themselves and seemed genuinely interested in the answers he received. Wanda was a bit reserved, but as she had more to drink, she opened up about her life. It turned out her father, a man named Erik, was also a Ghost once. But something happened, and he went crazy. Went rogue. She didn't really go into detail, but stated that he was now imprisoned on the maximum security facility on planet New Folsom; the most highly secure prison in the sector. That was where the baddest of the bad went. Tony wondered what the man had done, but Wanda didn't seem overly keen on talking about it. Or perhaps she simply couldn't. It was likely a highly classified situation.

Turned out Stephen was quite the knowledgeable doctor and scientist, and was particularly well-studied in quantum mechanics and time theory. He and Tony had been headbutting over everything all night; two stubborn and proud men immediately next to each other was never a good recipe. But once they started talking quantum mechanics, it turned into a full out war. Each side arguing opposing theories with dizzying speed and complex terminology despite their inebriation. Some others at the table took to staring at the epic verbal battle with extremely confused expressions.

Eventually, while Clint was getting up to go to the bathroom, he passed by the arguing pair and yelled, “Girls, girls! You're both pretty!”

The laughter that erupted around them shut Tony and Stephen up pretty quick.

After dinner was done, Tony stumbled over to the bar, unfinished drink in his hand.

“Do I need to cut you off?” The bartender sighed.

“Actually, I have a favor to ask you.” Tony leaned against the bar. “Can I put in a song request?”

“This is my playlist, it's basically the only recompense I get for this job.” The man groaned.

“What about for a 5k credit tip?”

“…alright what's the song.”

Loki was draining his fifth White Russian when a familiar song; a song he hadn't heard in many, many years; suddenly began to flow into his ears. He peeked up and looked around.

Tony was standing in the middle of the cantina’s dance floor, smirking at him. Loki’s eyes opened wide. It was Pour Some Sugar On Me by Def Leppard; the song they’d heard in Daisy’s Diner 12 years ago.

“How about that dance?” Tony called to him, holding his hands out in invitation. He watched as the situation registered in Loki’s eyes, watched a grin slowly cross his face. The man tipped his cup back to finish the rest of his drink and set it down, moving to stand up.

Might have been the multitude of drinks, but Tony was super eager. He grinned wide and started moving to the beat of the music as Loki got closer. Loki did a little sideways slide with his arms out all smoothlike, followed up by some impressive footwork and a spin as he reached Tony.

The pair of them danced like the drunken fools they were. Tony recalled some of the videos Loki had dug up depicting some Old Earth dance moves, and recognized some of the moves Loki was pulling directly from it. Tony grinned at the idea of Loki practicing those moves in his room all those years ago and was filled with overwhelming endearing. Tony mostly just did whatever felt right in the moment, and at one point they had joined hands and Tony spun Loki around.

Tony had actually given the bartender a playlist of Old Earth songs, and other drunk cantina patrons started joining in on the dancing, getting rowdy and laughing. Several of Tony’s squad even ended up on the floor. The night went by in a wild blur of dancing, drinks and laughter on the crowded dancefloor. Loki was so beautiful amid the chaos, a glow through the fuzz of the inebriation, grinning ear to ear, face flush from the drinks and the workout, eyes brighter than ever. The pair danced circles around each other. Broke out goofy moves depending on how silly the song was. Laughing, Loki singing along to the music he knew by heart.

He felt an energetic connection between them, and maybe it was the alcohol, but he almost wanted to cry with joy. It felt like that spark they had so long ago, when they were sharing something they were excited about. He was transported back to those times they spent together, laughing at a video or an inside joke. And he could not get enough of it. It made him giddy. It filled his veins with adrenaline and made his head feel light. He wondered if Loki was feeling this too. His genuine smiles, the fact that he kept his attention on Tony at all times; he _must_ feel the same way.

Towards the peak of it all, Clint wound up passed out on the table, and a heavily inebriated Bruce somehow ended up with a tie around his forehead as he danced like a drunk dumbass on top of one of the chairs, surrounded by cheering marines and engineers. No one could figure out where that tie came from. As far as they all remembered, no one was wearing a tie in the whole cantina. It would be a mystery for the ages.

The night had wound down as Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper, another Old Earth classic, came up. The high had lowered to a relaxed euphoria as Tony and Loki slow danced, in an obscure, private corner of the room where no one could really see them through the crowd. A lot of other couples were slow dancing to the song as well, including Vision and Wanda, and the rest of the floor was taken up by groups drunkenly standing around, chatting and laughing. Tony’s emotions surged as they circled slowly; hands resting on Loki’s hips, Loki’s hands on his chest and shoulder.

They gazed at each other for a bit; warm brown eyes to vivid green. Tony felt a flood of warmth course through his body. He wanted this moment to go on forever. He could get lost in those eyes. Loki eventually closed them and hummed along with the song, but Tony never took his own eyes off him. Took in every feature of his face, memorizing it anew. Thought about what this meant for them. Were they resuming what they used to be? Forging something new? What was Loki thinking? What did any of tonight mean?

“What's that look for?” Loki asked, eyes open again, smile warm.

Tony shook his head, returning the smile as they moved slowly as one. “I just… can't believe you're alive.” He said softly. A surge went through him every time he looked at the man. More beautiful and alive than he ever was. “I feel like I'm gonna open my eyes and this will all have been a dream.”

Loki brought a hand up to brush gently against Tony’s cheek. His fingers were warm, and they tickled his skin. It sent a little jolt through him; in a way that brought home just how _present_ the man before him was.

“I'm here.”

They were so close. He could feel Loki’s warm breath ghosting across his face. He wanted so badly to just dive in and kiss him. Kept staring at his lips in longing. Fought with himself, wanted to just go for it-

Suddenly, a beeping sound erupted next to his ear and startled him out of his trance. Loki drew his wrist to himself, glancing down at the holographic interface.

The change in his face was… jarring.

He went from relaxed and cheery to drained of color, eyes flashing with sudden fear.

“What's wrong?” Tony asked.

Loki glanced up and blinked, like he was just remembering Tony was there. Any hint of emotion Tony had seen a minute ago was gone, replaced by an empty mask. “Oh, nothing. I have an unscheduled meeting.” He relaxed and dropped his arms, tapping Tony’s wrists to tell him to let go.

Tony’s eyebrows furrowed as he reluctantly let go of Loki’s hips, studying him as he took a step back. Loki tapped something into his wrist interface before flicking the hologram away, and then looked back up at Tony with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. “I had a great night, Tony. I haven't had that much fun in a while.”

Tony smiled back and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Yeah, me too.”

Loki glanced back at his team. Vision and Wanda were still slow dancing, Stephen was chatting away with Bruce who seemed to have sobered up a bit, probably discussing medical things. Tony’s team was pretty scattered. Nat was trying to wake up Clint so she could get him back to his dorm. Steve was chatting with Rhodey and some veteran marines. Sam was talking to a pretty engineer. Thor was having a drinking contest at the bar.

“See you tomorrow, Stark.” Loki gave him a gentle whack on the arm as he passed by, heading for the door.

Tony watched him go with a sigh. He was coming down from the high of the night, and felt deflated now. They’d come so close. He’d come so close to figuring out what they were again. Moments away from crossing that bridge. Then Loki pulled away and put that mask back up. Body language casual, like they weren't just having a moment. Back to square one. And Tony was left feeling alone and conflicted. Staring down at the empty space where he had just been holding that man he loved more than anything in the whole universe. Felt pretty symbolic of everything they’d been through so far.

Tony sighed again and rubbed his eye. Well, might as well go to bed.

Tomorrow was a new day.

 

A few hours later, Tony woke up with a start. He had no idea what had woken him. He couldn't recall a dream or anything. His walls were sound dampened so if there was noise out in the hall, he wouldn't have heard it. He frowned into the darkness.

All of a sudden, he was hit by an intense feeling of anxiety. Alien and baseless, out of nowhere. He sat up straight in his bed, clutching his chest and gasping. The anxiety clawed at his heart and roiled in his gut. A cold sweat flashed through him, leaving him trembling and feeling dizzy.

He clenched his torso as the panic went through him like electric waves, squeezing his eyes shut. He felt a dread overcome him. The adrenaline reaction to impending doom, inevitable death. He feared for his life. He wanted to scream but nothing came out.

As suddenly as it began, it all stopped. Just, gone. Like he’d been running and all of a sudden the gravity got turned off and the floor disappeared, leaving him floating. From intense anxiety to nothing. Leaving him panting and confused.

He stared at the wall through the darkness for a long time, blinking and swallowing. Waiting for his senses to come back.

“What the _fuck_.” Tony breathed.


	4. Sex And Lasers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Everything you need to know about reading and writing m/m sex](https://reverie-indigo.livejournal.com/5686.html)

Tony had gotten out of bed a bit late that day, despite the ship’s simulated daylight wakeup. He’d had a hard time falling asleep after that strange anxiety attack.

He jogged on a treadmill in the exercise room now, trying to work up a sweat and release all that stress. Stress caused by feeling like he had been overtaken by a… he didn't even _know_. It didn't feel like him. He knew PTSD, he knew panic attacks. This felt completely different.

Was it the warp space? He’d heard rumors it could do weird things to the brain. Was he just going crazy?

“Good late morning, Stark.”

Tony turned his head and halted his run by stepping up onto the unmoving sides of the machine when he heard the deep, accented voice of Thor behind him. The man was walking up to him, a towel thrown over his shoulder. Tony hadn't noticed him in here earlier, and he didn't appear to have any sweat marks on him.

“Late start?” Tony asked.

“I spent the earlier morning with my brother.” Thor confirmed. He walked over to the treadmill next to Tony’s and stowed his towel on the rail of it.

“Is he okay?” Tony was hit with the memory of those green eyes flashing in primal fear last night. He worried about him for a while as he fell asleep.

Thor looked at him in perplexion as he climbed up onto the treadmill. “I think so. Why?”

“Oh, uh… I mean we all got pretty fucked up last night.”

“He appeared fine, though he said he did not remember everything from the night. I suppose he had too much to drink.”

Tony frowned. How much did Loki forget? Did he remember their dancing? The moment they had? He felt an anxiety clawing at his belly. What if he didn't remember any of it? Or worse, he had been too drunk for it to have meant anything at all?

Thor had moved on, however. He smiled as he used the holographic display on the machine to set his pace. “I remember when he could not even handle one drink. Watching him consume five was impressive.”

Tony smirked a little. He’d never experienced drunk 16-year-old Loki, but now he wished he had. He stepped back down onto the treadmill, setting it to a more casual pace for the sake of chatting.

As the pair jogged, they shared tales of funny moments that had occurred the night before. Thor bragged about winning the drinking contest against a very large engineer, and they both snorted in laughter recalling Bruce; the normally timid intellect turned party animal after too many drinks.

“I don't think I've ever seen Bruce so shitfaced.” Tony laughed.

Thor grinned, “I think the specials in that particular cantina were concocted to get you very, very drunk.”

They went quiet for a bit while each of them went into a hardmode sprint to get their hearts pumping. The sound of running shoes hitting the belt, the loud whirring of the machines running overtime. By the time cardio was over, Tony was breathing hard.

Wiping the sweat from their brows with their towels, they started over for the showers. As they walked, Tony decided to bring up something he’d wanted to in private with the man for a little while. “Hey, Thor. Does… Loki seem different to you?” He asked carefully.

Thor glanced at him. His face was a bit reddened from the workout. “What do you mean?”

“Like, compared to 12 years ago.”

“We are all different from who we were 12 years ago.”

“Well yeah, I just… I don't know. I feel like there's something more different than just… aging.”

Thor shrugged as they entered the humid area of the showers. It was fairly empty inside, most marines already having gotten their routines over with and went about their day. A few bulky men in towels stepped around, preparing to change into their daily wear. “I think he is no longer distressed by the plagues of his youth, but he is still the same to me.” Thor said. “The Loki I saw between the pain. Perhaps it is the fact that his… distress is gone, that disconcerts you?”

“I knew who he was beneath his issues too, Thor. It's not that.”

Thor shrugged, and began to pull off his shirt. “Well, you did not know him as long as I did. I have known him my whole life, watched his personality grow and change from childhood. To me, he just appears to be a further evolved form of the Loki I grew up with.”

 _I knew him better in those two months than you ever did in 16 years_ , Tony thought to himself. But he gave a shallow smile and nodded anyway. “Yeah, maybe you're right. Thanks, bud.”

 

Late afternoon, Tony was heading to the cafeteria from his workshop. He was feeling a bit discouraged; the jet packs he was trying to attach to his suit weren't responding to the programming and he had to tear it apart and rewire everything. His hands were covered in little electrical burns and metal cuts. He missed the fabrication machines of his father’s workshop. Those things were far more advanced than anything on this ship. He felt like he was working with one hand tied behind his back here.

As he was coming up to a connecting hall, Tony suddenly heard a door sliding, and some familiar voices filled the air.

“-distracted. It's academy 101.” He recognized that as the voice of Stephen Strange. Who was he talking to? Tony crept up to the corner to listen. “You're slipping, boss.”

“I'm _not_ slipping.” Tony perked up upon hearing the blatantly irritated voice of Loki. “Everyone’s allowed to have a bad day.”

“Not in the Program. Not on duty.”

“I'm really not in the mood for this, Strange.”

“We’re not attacking you, boss.” Came the low voice of Wanda. “We’re just worried.”

“I know.” He heard Loki sigh. “I'll be fine. Dismissed.” After a moment of hesitation, he heard a group of footsteps heading away.

Tony jumped and hurriedly backed away from the corner to appear as though he had only just now reached this area as he heard another, single set of footsteps coming towards him. Though he knew who he was likely to bump into, he still found himself startled as Loki rounded the corner and appeared in front of him. Loki seemed surprised as well.

“Oh, afternoon, Stark.” His voice betrayed only a little exhaustion, but he couldn't hide it in his face and demeanor. He had dark circles under his eyes, and his complexion was more pale and gray than usual. Before he managed to put up that mask he was so good at crafting, his eyes betrayed a distress.

He was wearing the full Ghost armor suit; chest and shoulder plating, gauntlets and knee-high metal boots, ammo belt, C-20A canister rifle strapped to his back. Some areas of the suit lit up in little green lines; different from the usual blue. Perhaps a position indicator? The eerie Ghost goggles perched on his forehead, half hidden by his black hair which was unusually messy.

Concerningly, however, Tony spotted a nasty-looking gash on his cheekbone, and a matching one on the same side of his neck. They both welled with blood and were edged by torn, blue skin. Tony knew bullet graze marks when he saw them.

“Do you use _live ammo_ in your training sessions?” Tony asked, appalled.

Loki cursed under his breath and cupped a hand over the wound on his face before passing Tony and continuing down the hall. Tony blinked and went after him.

“Are you going to the med bay?” Tony asked.

“I'm going to take a nap.”

“Loki, you really need that looked at.”

“It's nothing.”

“Graze marks aren't nothing. They can get infected.” Tony insisted. “We’re coming up on my dorm, I have a basic med pack. Can you at least let me patch it?”

Tony could practically hear Loki grit his teeth, and the man glanced around before dropping his hand and sighing. “Fine.”

Tony led Loki down the hall to his dorm, slid his wrist implant over the door reader, and ushered him inside.

Loki now sat on the edge of Tony’s bed, elbows resting on his knees, staring distantly at the floor. He’d pulled off the heavier armor pieces of his uniform, including belt, goggles and gun, and stored them in a pile in the corner of the room; left with just his fitted onepiece. Tony was digging through the bathroom storage for the med pack, glancing back at Loki through the doorway now and then. Once he’d retrieved the pack, he pulled out the disinfectant and the graft spray. That stuff mimicked human flesh in breathability and flexibility, and was sprayed onto wounds as a sort of liquid bandage. Its purpose was helping the flesh heal itself more quickly.

Tony brought these items, a handful of cotton balls and a small, damp cloth out of the bathroom and headed over to Loki. He didn't like that blank look on his face.

“You okay?” Tony asked, as he put the medical supplies down on the side table.

Loki slowly looked up at Tony, eyes unreadable, and nodded. Tony sighed; he knew he wasn't going to get anything more out of him, so he set to work on those wounds instead.

Loki didn't meet his eyes, looked to the side as Tony knelt down in front of him, bringing the damp cloth to the wound on his cheekbone. He gently cleaned the wound; cleaned out the dried and fresh blood and bullet powder best he could. After he felt satisfied with that, he soaked a cotton ball in the disinfectant and began dabbing it onto the gash. He glanced at Loki’s face, but he didn't even flinch as the chemicals met his raw flesh. Impressive; Tony could never stop himself from at least grimacing at the sting of disinfectant in a fresh wound.

As he shook the canister of graft spray, Tony spoke into the silent air. “I ah… heard you talking to your teammates.”

Loki glanced at him with a guarded look. Glowing eyes bright so close to Tony’s face.

“What are they worried about?” Tony asked casually as he brought the canister to his face and began precisely spraying the wound closed. It only took a few seconds, and the spray started blending into his skin color; the gash was still evident as a slightly darker, raised line, but it was less noticeable now. He set the canister down to start working on the neck wound. Thankfully this one seemed less serious, and was hardly even bleeding.

“They're just a pack of mother hens.” Loki said, voice clipped. “I'm fine.”

Tony frowned as he tugged down the collar of Loki’s uniform and brought the damp cloth to his neck. He felt distracted for a moment as he did so; Loki had such a beautiful neck, pale and exposed. He held the other side of his neck gingerly for stability, and it felt so soft and warm under his fingers.

He noticed something odd, though. A long, clean scar, running horizontally along the upper part of the front of his neck. He wondered what that was from.

“You don't… _look_ fine.” Tony said, honestly.

“I'm just tired.”

“Your meeting go late last night?”

“Hm?”

“Your unscheduled meeting?”

Loki blinked, sudden realization crossing his eyes. “Oh, yeah. It did.” He said, a bit too quickly.

Tony sighed as he cleaned the wound, almost ready for the disinfectant. “How much of this is Ghost secrets, and how much is your old ‘I just don't wanna admit I'm not okay’ bullshit?” Tony asked, couldn't help sounding a bit irritated.

He felt Loki tense his shoulders under his hands. Saw him clench his teeth. “I'm _fine_.”

“See, I don't believe that for one sec-”

Tony’s words were suddenly interrupted by Loki grabbing him by the shirt collar and shoving their faces together in a hard kiss. Tony was shocked. The heat filled his face as those beautiful, soft lips crushed his own, hot and wet and desperate and god it was overwhelming. Tony’s head was filled with strange, dissociated feelings of need, dire need as their lips pressed together deep, their breaths blew over each other's faces.

Then Loki let go and leaned back, panting. Green eyes shining as he looked up at Tony, who was frozen in shock. Loki’s expression was a mixture of exhaustion, desire, and desperation.

Adrenaline rushed through Tony, coursing through his veins, making his blood cold and his head fuzzy. “God, Loki…” He stared at those reddening lips, those bright eyes, hesitating. “Are we…?”

“Just kiss me, Stark.”

Tony didn't think twice. He dropped the damp cloth and dove in; moving up to plant one knee on the bed, placing a hand behind Loki’s head and pulling him in to continue that kiss, and Loki met him readily. He could feel Loki’s hot breath ghosting over his face as he captured his lips in his own, eyes closed and brows furrowed. They made out like starving animals, sloppy, hungry for more, couldn't get enough contact, faces pressed as close together as possible. Hungry for what they missed out on for 12 long years. Tony had the sense that he was filling something Loki needed more than anything right now.

Tony felt Loki’s hands shakily grabbing at his T-shirt, pulling it away from his skin and pressing his hands underneath, running them up his abs, yearning for more contact. Tony shivered and felt a heat forming quickly in his groin, Loki’s fingers like fire on his skin. He wondered if the rest of the man was as soft and warm as those fingers, and he fully intended to find out. Tony broke from the kiss, pushed Loki backwards down onto the bed and crawled up to sit on him, hands running across the front of his uniform, trying to figure out how it came off.

Loki, eyes blown with desire, took Tony’s rough hands in his own dainty soft and guided them to the invisible zipper that started at his collar, and Tony didn't waste time. He grabbed the zipper slider and dragged it down, quickly exposing a long window of that pale flesh. At the end, the zipper split into two that wrapped around his waist, and Tony used both hands to separate as much of the top half of the uniform from the bottom as he could before it would require Loki lifting his body from the bed. He peeled the top open, revealing that beautiful, lithe torso.

Tony stared down at the pale body beneath him with eyes of deep longing, before dragging them up to meet Loki’s. “Are you sure…?” Couldn't help but feel that old flash of guilt he’d had at times when thinking about Loki, whom he’d thought was dead or worse, in this way. As if it had been disrespectful to his memory, or that it was horrible to have the luxury of having dreams when the object of his affection might be a sex slave in god knew where.

But he needed to shake that off. Because Loki was here, he was alive, and had apparently been literally fucking around the Marine Corps all this time.

“I’ve wanted this for 12 fucking years, Stark.” Loki said, voice soft and eyes full of emotion. “Do _everything_ to me.”

Tony felt his face flush at that. Loki had really desired him all this time? Had he imagined them together in this way, had wet dreams about him as well? He could hardly contain the well of emotions he felt about this revelation. But he snapped out of it. Because here was Loki here and now; half naked beneath him and expecting him to do something with it.

Tony couldn't resist that alluring, pale expanse of flesh, shaped so perfectly; he bent down and started kissing a trail slowly from his belly, up his abs and ribcage. He felt Loki shiver under his lips, saw his hand grip the blanket out of the corner of his eye when he reached his nipple and gave it a gentle suck.

Soon he brought his head back up and pressed their lips together again, hovering over Loki’s body, hand placed gently on his neck for stability. Loki reached up to press his hands against Tony’s chest, slowly tracing his collarbone and pectoral muscles, around the sensitive, scarred area of his chest implant with those soft hands until Tony felt himself shiver as well. Loki’s fingertips ghosted across his skin in a way that set his nerves on fire and it drove him crazy.

Then he felt something slightly sticky on his hand and pulled away from the kiss, glancing at it, lifting it from Loki’s neck. A bit of red streaked across his palm, and he remembered the gash on Loki's neck. It wasn't bad, but it glistened a little with small beads of fresh blood.

“Ah, jeez. I need to finish closing that.”

“Forget it.” Loki breathed, grabbing at Tony’s shirt.

“I don't wanna hurt you.”

“You won't.” Loki promised. “Please, just fuck me.” He begged, trying to tug him down by his shirt.

That desperate begging went straight down to Tony’s groin. The thrill going through him, he had to comply. He pinned Loki between his legs as he enveloped his lips in his own once again. He felt Loki’s hands go to his jeans as they kissed, popping open the button and zipper, tugging at his boxers and pushing his hand inside with seemingly practiced ease to take Tony’s hard cock into his grip.

Tony closed his eyes with a pleasured groan as Loki stroked him, feeling his cock throb in that dainty hand. “Ah, yeah.” He huffed. He stayed like that for a while, enjoying the attention, feeling the pleasure waves move gently through him. Eventually he brought his hand down, searching for another invisible zipper on the lower portion of Loki’s uniform. He needed more contact. More skin. Needed to press himself between those beautiful legs. He finally found the seam and pulled at it.

He sat back a bit, Loki letting go of him for the moment, arching his back up so Tony could fully release the waist zipper, and then worked those skintight bottoms off. He took a moment to appreciate the sight; Loki hard in those tight, gray boxer briefs, long legs smooth and bare, pale, lithe torso exposed from the open top.

Tony tugged his own shirt off over his head and tossed it on the ground, the light of his chest implant bathing the dim room in a cool glow, then pulled his pants open more, enough to pull his dick out. Loki made no effort to hide his appreciative gaze as he looked Tony up and down in his half undressed state. The considerable muscles of a marine, his tanned skin, his impressively sized package; Loki seemed to drink it in, eyes round. Tony ate up the attention as he spread Loki’s legs and positioned himself between them before lowering his body down on top of Loki, wrapping his arms around his torso and planting his face into the side of his neck that wasn't scraped. He kissed him there as he ground his hard-on into Loki’s ass, stopped short only by the layer of fabric.

Loki mewled something about loving his weight on him, wrapping his arms around Tony in turn and bringing his knees up to press against his sides. That drove Tony crazy, and he pressed down harder, receiving little pleased sounds as he dry humped the man harder and gently bit down on his neck. He ran one of his hands down the side of Loki’s torso, following his figure down until his hand cupped that perfect ass. At this pressure he’d trapped Loki’s own cock between them and ground against it with his body as he pressed down, making him moan softly.

Tony felt Loki claw at his back, and his soft breath ghosted into his ear. “I want you inside me.” He whimpered.

Tony didn't need to be told twice. He pulled himself up to kiss Loki on the lips for a lingering moment before turning to reach over to his side table. He pulled open the drawer and shuffled the items around before he found what he wanted. He brought out the bottle of lube and set it on the bed, and then sat back to work his own pants and boxers off, letting them drop off the bed, and reaching out to tug on Loki’s boxer briefs. Loki lifted himself up a little to help him get the underwear off, and then propped himself up on his elbows to meet Tony, who leaned over him as he worked with the lube bottle, in a quick kiss.

Tony squeezed copious amounts of lube out into his hand and slicked his cock with it. He leaned over and kissed Loki again, before encouraging him down onto his back as he used the remainder of the lube on his hand to gently rub it onto Loki’s hole; pressing the tip of his finger inside to make everything as slick as possible.

Loki lay back, gazing up at the ceiling before closing his eyes; his legs spread beautifully like a butterfly before him. His body language and calm expression dripped with readiness and complete trust to Tony with his body. His ass and the back of his thighs pressed against the front of Tony’s thighs. Tony couldn't help but admire him for a moment. That beautifully carved face. His lithe body, naked except for his opened top which framed him so well.

He was kind of surprised at the amount of scars and old bruises he found criss-crossing Loki’s body. It was hard to find a marine that didn't have every kind of scrape and injury imaginable, and Tony was no clean canvas. But he wouldn't have expected that from a stealth operative. There must be more to Loki’s job than Tony realized.

Putting that out of his mind, Tony positioned himself, using his hand to guide his throbbing cock to its target; and began to press in slowly, watching Loki’s face keenly.

Loki bit his lip, opening those beautiful green eyes a little to meet Tony’s gaze, and huffing as Tony slowly, slowly pushed himself inside his tight body. Tony exhaled in long, pleasured breaths, eyebrows scrunched, adrenaline coursing through him every time he thought _god I'm really doing this._ The further he went, the more he leaned over Loki, all up until he was fully hovering above him, arms at either side. Loki’s lips parted as he went, gripping the sheets tight. Tony paused any time he felt resistance, and waited for Loki to adjust; he was wonderfully tight, but he was so relaxed and ready for him, that it didn't take very long for Tony to have sunk in deep.

He stayed there for a moment, closing his eyes and breathing, just enjoying the feeling of his throbbing cock inside Loki’s tight, warm body. The idea made him shiver. The idea of actually being inside the man he’d been in love with for so many years, the man he thought he’d lost forever. It felt like an out-of-body experience. A dream. _This is really happening_. It was euphoric.

Then Loki shifted under him, just enough to cause a sliding sensation, and that was all the encouragement he needed. He grabbed Loki’s hip with one hand, propping himself up with his other arm, and started moving. Pulling back, almost out, and then pushing back in again. Loki squeezed his eyes shut and moaned in pleasure.

As the movement got easier, Tony set the pace to the sound of Loki’s huffs, sliding in and out of him so smoothly it drove him crazy. Loki, face flush, squirmed and moaned and grabbed at Tony’s arm, encouraging him on with breathless words of approval between his panting. Tony thrust harder, groaning. It was the most beautiful feeling in the world, and… there was something else. Something strange. Tony felt his own pleasure as usual, but he also felt an odd _secondary_ pleasure.

It never felt like this before, with anyone else. But every time he thrust inside of Loki, he didn't just feel it in his dick and groin area. He felt it deep in his body, and somehow… he just knew that what he was experiencing was _Loki’s_ pleasure. In a deeply empathetic connection, not quite feeling the physical sensations but enough to know exactly what he should be doing to please Loki. Knew exactly where to go, that pleasure spot building slowly with every hit.

His ears buzzed and he felt an almost dizzying euphoria at this revelation, this feeling, this intense pleasure. He felt Loki’s desire to have his body dominated, to have Tony take complete control. He pressed his body down on Loki, pinning him against the bed, and pounded into him harder, making the man beneath him moan louder. The edges of Loki's top tickled his skin.

“A-ah! Gods, _yes_.” Loki moaned, his voice hot and heavy in his ear. He felt Loki’s arms wrapped around him, tugging him further down, clawing at his skin with the intensity of Tony’s thrusts. Tony reached up and planted his hand at the back of his head, pushing their faces together in a deep kiss, shoving his tongue inside. He felt Loki’s moans in his mouth, resonate down his throat.

His thighs slapped against Loki’s ass as he drove into him fast and hard, going in all the way to the hilt every time, and Loki tore away from the kiss and threw his head back, eyes squeezed shut and moaning so loud it drove Tony crazy.

Tony pulled the open collar of Loki’s top down and tangled his fingers in his hair, giving it a tug. Then he lifted his torso up just enough to reach down and grab Loki’s hard, throbbing cock that had felt hot like a radiator trapped against his belly. He thumbed around the sensitive area just beneath the head, and then stroked him hard and fast as he slammed into his ass; he saw stars and felt the waves of pleasure and pain wracking his body with an intensity he’d never experienced before.

Loki was lost in those satisfying, rapid breaths and moans and mewlings. Squirming, arching into the beating motion; he was far gone in the intense sensations. The pain and pleasure. He managed to squint those glowing, green eyes open enough to meet Tony’s gaze, and pant out hoarsely, “I-I’m gonna come-” But it didn't need to be said. Tony felt it. Felt it throbbing through him. He planted his face against Loki’s as the man beneath him tensed up and came hard in Tony’s grip, against his belly, with a loud moan, fingernails dug so deep into Tony’s back it stung.

Tony’s mind was white hot and filled with fireworks as he groaned loudly and came moments after, entire body shaking with the force of it, deep inside of Loki. His body trembled until he was empty, panting hard, and collapsed on top of Loki.

They both lay there, breathing hard for a while, coming down from the intense high. The sweat cooling their warm skin. The sheets were sticky with lube, sweat and cum, the heavy scent of sex in the air. Tony’s heart was beating so fast and hard he felt it resonate in his chest implant, and he could feel Loki’s as well. After a while, Tony shakily lifted himself up, pulling his spent, now-soft dick out of Loki, and flopped onto his side to look at him.

Loki lay back, eyes closed, breathing slowing. His hands rested on his chest, his cum glistening on his skin. His top had slipped down a bit to reveal one of his shoulders. He looked entirely ruined. Cheeks red, a bite mark on his neck, fingerprints on his thighs. His neck wound looked a bit aggravated, and he noticed a few tiny lines of blood streaks on the bed; he cursed himself for not insisting they close it up before getting to business. He also felt a bit guilty when he noticed a circular bruise forming on Loki’s chest where his reactor implant had pressed hard against it.

“Don't worry about it.” Loki muttered tiredly, voice hoarse from all that moaning, eyes still closed. “Didn't hurt.”

Tony glanced back up at his face. “Reading my mind?”

“Not intentionally. But you think so loudly sometimes, I can't help but pick up the occasional surface thought.”

Tony smirked. “Everyone always tells me I don't have an indoor voice.”

“Mm.” Loki yawned and turned over to curl up against Tony, face buried in the crook of his neck.

Tony wrapped his arms around him and rested his head on the top of Loki’s, messy black hair tickling his face.

“That was amazing.” Loki muttered sleepily. “I felt like you were the one reading _my_ mind.”

Tony decided not to mention the fact that he had felt that way too. He was too tired to try and analyze what the hell that was all about.

So instead, he asked, “Good enough to, I don't know, be exclusive?”

He felt Loki’s smirk against his skin. “Depends, I have an insatiable appetite for dick.”

Oh man, that statement sent heat right to his groin. But it also shocked him a little. In all the years, he never would have imagined that reserved hermit would grow up to be a little sex fiend. “Lucky for you, I got more than enough dick.” Tony smirked.

“You can say that again.” Loki agreed, in appreciative reference to Tony’s considerable size.

“You tryna get a second helping?”

Loki glanced down at his wrist interface. “Maybe if it's in the shower. I have a meeting in an hour and need to clean up.”

Tony stroked Loki’s hair away from his face. “You have a lot of meetings.” He muttered. His mouth was on autopilot while his mind was distracted by the idea of shower sex.

“I'm Number One of SHIELD and I oversee all Ghost activity, of course I have a lot of meetings.”

“Mm that's right, I've got SHIELD’s Number One in my bed.”

Loki smirked and pushed against Tony with his hand to roll himself over, and then sat up. Tony watched every move as he slipped off the bed, appreciating that amazing ass that was a little red from the earlier slapping. Loki rolled his open top off his shoulders, sliding it down his arms, and dropped it on the floor, standing there in his full naked glory. Tony winced a little when he could see his back clearly; the man had three deep claw gash scars crossing his smooth skin, slanted across his upper back. He’d been in close combat with a Zergling or Hydralisk perhaps?

“Coming?” Loki turned back to glance at him.

Tony couldn't remember the last time he got out of bed so fast.

The pair soon found themselves in the thick atmosphere of the steaming shower; a bit cramped, since it was really only meant for one person. But that just made it more intense as Tony fucked Loki against the tile wall, gripping his hips tight and slamming into him hard, skin reddened as the hot water rolled over their heads and backs. Their grunts and moans and the sound of skin slapping echoed inside the shower.

Afterwards, Tony stood leaning against the bathroom doorway with a towel wrapped around his waist while Loki pulled his uniform back on, zipping himself up with ease. He was sad to see that naked body go, but couldn't help but smirk a little when he noticed a lovebite visible on his shoulder through the cutouts on the uniform. Loki flipped his wet hair back and tied it up in a bun, damp strands straggling here and there, and then padded barefoot over to his pile of armor.

Tony had made sure to clean his neck wound as much as he could in the shower, to Loki’s annoyance, and managed to spring the graft spray on him while he was drying off. He just hoped it was enough to keep it from getting infected. He wished Loki took it more seriously. Granted, Tony would be a bit of a hypocrite to blame him for it.

“You might wanna consider wearing that shoulder armor to your meeting.” Tony said, still smirking.

Loki, as he was pulling on his boots, glanced down at his shoulder, noticing the lovebite. “Good call.” He said, with a bit of a wince, “I don't need a repeat of the last time I wound up in a meeting full of old men while wearing a blatant hickey. The appalled stares were hilarious, but I suppose I should at least _try_ to keep up a professional image.”

Tony snorted with laughter.

Loki clicked on his belt, hung his goggles around his neck, slung his gun over his back and tucked the rest under his arm. Then he stepped over to Tony, and surprised him by leaning in and planting a kiss on his lips.

Then Loki pulled away, shifted the objects in his arms and said, “See you tomorrow.” And without another word, he turned and headed out the door.

Tony watched him disappear, feeling a bit stunned.

He didn't understand why, but that little, domestic kiss… it felt so much more significant than everything else that had happened earlier. That made his heart flutter more than their sexual escapades. That brought him more hope for them than anything else in the past few days. Almost felt like they were simply resuming what they had 16 years ago.

He scratched the back of his head and sighed before walking over to get some clothes on. He was getting ahead of himself.

It was just a kiss.

 

Steve took slow steps, arms behind his back, head raised high as he went along his line of soldiers. All were lined up shoulder to shoulder, backs straight, gazes attentive. Tony stood between Stephen and Rhodey, expressions serious. The tension was thick in the air.

“Alright, folks. Here's how this mission is going to play out.” Steve scanned his troops. “We’re going to split into two teams; one led by myself, the other led by the Commander.” His steps led him to Loki, who also stood facing the troops, leaning on his gun casually.

“The most important thing is protecting the Ghosts.” Steve continued. “You lose an operative, it's game over. We cannot afford a single fatality.” His voice was dire and stern. “It's vital to the mission that both of your Ghosts reach the target alive. We fail to do that, the entire mission fails, and I will personally see to it that all survivors are iced from the military.”

“He sure takes laser tag seriously.” Stephen muttered under his breath.

“God, you have no idea.” Tony whispered back. “The only thing Steve takes more seriously than team building exercises is the actual missions.”

“Standard laser tag rules apply.” Steve went on. “Your suits will realistically simulate injury. Shots to vital organs will result in instant death. Ammo and supply depot points are distributed randomly. Communicators are available, but may be attacked if your enemy team finds a supply depot with jamming signals. Whichever team gets _both_ of their Ghosts to the target base first wins. Once you are sorted into your team, you will have 10 minutes to devise a strategy. Commander?”

Loki swiped at his wrist interface, throwing everyone’s names and ID images into the air. Steve and Loki’s names floated separately; Steve’s blue, Loki’s green. With another swipe, the rest of the names were jumbled up and sorted into the two categories.

Blue Team consisted of Steve, Thor, Rhodey, Clint, Stephen, and Wanda.

Green Team consisted of Loki, Tony, Bruce, Sam, Natasha, and Vision. Tony kinda wished he had Rhodey, they were a dynamic duo. “What is this, wife swap?” He glanced between Rhodey, Sam and Steve.

“What, I'm not good enough for you?” Sam grinned.

“Don't take it personally, hopper. I'm sure you're a decent wingman too.”

Tony did silently thank the computer for sorting him in with Loki, and glanced at the man. But he frowned a bit when he noticed an odd look flash in those green, glowing eyes.

“Green Team, with me.” Loki said, however, gesturing to follow as he turned and started for their end of the laser tag course.

The room was very dark, the only dim light coming from small LEDs lining the maze walls and atmospheric light emanating from the outer edges of the room. The maze was formed of popup barriers taking shapes and layouts roughly similar to a cramped city, many of which had windows and openings. Two of the popups were much higher than the rest, near opposite ends of the room. These were towers; they usually had stairs or ladders that lead to the top for use as a bird's eye view.

The maze could take an endless amount of shapes, and Tony had never seen a layout twice. But he was glad to see the towers. Those were useful for figuring out which way they needed to go; a vital resource in a race mission.

Tony and the others on Green Team followed Loki as they rounded the outer edges of the maze. Once they reached the edge of the room, they entered a doorway and followed a trail of green light, the temporary route indicators to the start point. The start point was a small building made of popup barriers on the opposite side of the room from Blue Team’s start point. It had a console table at the center with two handhold triggers lit up blue; the terminal that the Blue Team had to get their Ghosts to in order to win.

Once they had all filed inside, Loki turned to address them.

“Alright, first order of business.” Loki crossed his arms and looked at Natasha. “I need a quick insight from you as a strategist on what we can expect from Captain Rogers.”

“What do you need to know?” Natasha asked. She had her game face on, fully ready for the task of defeating her boss.

“From what I gather, Steve is an offensive player. He relies on attack power and mobile defense. Can I assume he will use a smash-through strategy for this?”

“He does utilize stealth for mapping, he might send Clint to scout ahead, but otherwise I would definitely expect him to rely on strength.” Natasha confirmed. “Especially considering he’s got two good tanks on his team, including himself. He’ll probably surround the Ghosts in a bull circle.”

Loki nodded. “Then we can expect him to make quick work of it. I imagine he will clear rooms as they go, but if he is not a cautious leader, it will not take them much time to get here.”

“He’s also going to be expecting a fight.” Sam added in. “His lack of caution usually means everyone has to be on high alert and ready to shoot. He relies on his enemy to be surprised and unprepared, but that makes everyone a bit trigger happy. Might give away their position. Wouldn't be the first time.”

Loki was thoughtful for a moment, registering this information. “Alright, here's the plan.” His voice was all business, but his face was nonchalant as he glanced at the team gathered around him. “First order of business is reach the tower. We need an aerial view of the layout of this maze and a route plan. After that, we’re going to make a speed run as far along the edge as we can. We’re going to be as quiet and quick as we can. No communication unless absolutely necessary. Hug the walls, stick to the shadows and listen. Try to avoid conflict by being aware of your surroundings.”

He glanced between Sam and Tony. “Wilson, I’m pairing you up with Vision. Focus on protecting him. Self-sacrifice if you need to. Stark, you're with me. Same orders.”

Tony struggled to contain his smirk. This was going to be so much better than he hoped. “All over ya, boss.” He said suggestively.

“Banner, we’re going to leave you here to defend the terminal.” Loki said, turning to the scientist. “I imagine you wouldn't be able to hold them off for very long, but every second you can give us counts.”

“Can do.” Bruce confirmed. He seemed relieved to not be on the offense. This was a good position for him.

Then he turned back to Natasha. “Romanoff, how are you as a stealth operative?”

“If I registered on the Psi Index, I'd be a Ghost.” Natasha said.

“Good. I'm leaving the most daunting task for you, then. I'm going to have you scout ahead and locate the enemy team. Stick to the shadows, see if you can get a shot on a vital area on one of the Ghosts. If not, I need you to make enough commotion to get their attention, make them think you're the whole team, and draw them to you. Lead them away. It will throw them off their path, and stall them for a bit. Maybe even get them lost.”

“I'm on it.” Natasha confirmed.

Loki glanced at the timer on the table. 2 minutes until the game started. He looked back up at his team. “Everyone understand their orders?”

“Yes, sir.” The lot of them chorused.

“Then let's show the good Captain who’s boss.”

 

The five were silent as they walked through the darkness. Natasha strode out front, Tony and Sam right behind her, guns raised in their hands. There was no way the Blue Team could have made it this far minutes into the game, but it didn't hurt to stay alert. Loki and Vision stepped so silently that Tony glanced back to make sure they were still behind them now and then.

The tower rose high in the gloom, visible from their location in the maze. They navigated the twists, turns and rooms, quickly securing each area as they went. Sometimes the maze threw them a loop, taking them off track from the tower. But they understood its location, and worked their way through the walls until finally they stood at the base.

This tower was nearly ceiling-high, and had a single ladder leading up to the top. The top disappeared into the darkness the further Tony looked up.

“Romanoff, Stark, Vis.” Loki addressed them. “Get up there and scan the area. Tell me what you see. Wilson and I will stand guard down here.”

Tony and the other two nodded, then Natasha threw her gun around her back and started climbing. Tony held his arm out and said, “After you.” to Vision. The man dipped his head and hauled himself up onto the ladder after Natasha.

Tony glanced over at Loki and Sam. They both stood with their guns cocked, facing out and away from the tower. He turned back and grabbed the rungs of the ladder, grunting a bit as he pulled himself up, planting his feet on the lower rungs. His boots clinked against the metal of the ladder as he went. When he reached the top, he grabbed the edge and hauled himself up onto the flat roof of it.

Natasha was already kneeling at the edge, scanning the area, goggles down. Vision was pulling down his own goggles as he made his way over to her.

“Alright, I see our target.” Natasha said, and pointed towards the far end of the room. Tony crouched next to her, tugging down his goggles. The goggles weren't quite night vision, but they enhanced the contrast of the dark room enough to distinguish the shapes that the popup walls made. He followed Natasha’s gesture until he spotted the dim green glow of the target terminal through the window of Blue Team’s start point.

“And I see the enemy.” Vision said.

Sure enough, two figures were crouching at the top of the other tower at the far opposite end of the room. Blue Team was keeping pace with them.

“I don't think they sent either of their Ghosts up there.” Vision noted. He pulled up his gun and pointed it towards the tower, looking through the scope. “No shot.”

“That gun wouldn't manage a fatality at this range, anyway.” Tony said.

“True.”

Tony gazed over the edge of the tower. His mind worked fast as he mapped the maze stretching before him, trying to work out the quickest and safest route to Loki’s orders. His mind worked through dozens of potential routes in moments, mentally throwing down a green trail line. He also tried to work out what route Steve was likely to take; he would go the quickest and most direct way. He compensated for that in his trajectory.

“Alright, I think I got it Vis. Check this.” Tony crawled closer to to the Ghost, who gave him his full attention. “See that building in the shape of an L over there? I'm thinking we aim for-”

“I see your map in your mind’s eye.” Vision interrupted. “It will work well for our purposes.”

Tony blinked. Right, Ghost. Damned mindreaders.

“I've got my route too.” Natasha said, pushing her goggles back up to her forehead. “We need to get down there now. Steve’s scouts are descending their tower already.”

“If they have their route, then we haven't much time.” Vision agreed. With that, he headed back for the ladder.

In less than a minute, all three had slid down the ladder rails and landed on their feet on the ground.

“Report?” Loki said, turning to meet them.

“Blue Team is on the move.” Natasha said. “I'm going to head them off. Tony and Vision have a route for the rest of you.”

“Good. Let's move out.”

“Follow me.” Tony cocked his gun and started heading off, mind running through his path, a mental Universal Positioning System. It wouldn't be hard for him to recall their location and update his little mental dot. Well, starship. Tony always picked the starship icon on a real UPS, he couldn't not pick it mentally too.

Loki, Vision and Sam followed behind him, leaving Natasha as she headed in the opposite direction, disappearing into the darkness.

“You got my map in your head?” Tony asked Loki.

Loki paused for a moment, the glow of his green eyes brightening momentarily. “I do now. Vis?”

“Yes, sir.” Vision confirmed.

“If we get split up, we’ll each have a map to follow.”

“Heh, and I'll just follow ya’ll blind.” Sam said.

“You're mostly a shield, anyway.” Vision reminded him.

“Oh so you just want me for my body.”

Tony snickered.

“Alright, quiet down.” Loki said. “Vocalize only when necessary.”

The group of four silently followed Tony’s path around twists and turns, taking shortcuts by climbing through windows of the faux buildings. Tony and Sam always went first, poking their heads through windows and around walls, pointing their guns around, securing areas.

Soon, they came across their first supply depot. These depots were table-like terminals covered in holographic items that could be taken and stored by anyone.

“No jammers.” Tony reported quietly.

“Take what you can carry. 20 seconds.” Loki whispered, nearly inaudible.

They all hurriedly grabbed extra ammo packs, holographic grenades and gun mods. There were a few holographic knives with plastic hilts and faux laser pistols as well that were quickly taken and holstered.

“Aw hell yeah.” Sam murmured. Tony glanced over and saw that he had found a plastic laser flamethrower. It was bulky, which meant he would have to leave his own gun behind. But it was a useful tool in a firefight. “Fight Fire with Fire.” Sam said in a low, growly voice, mocking the typical Firebat operative catch phrase.

“Let's move.” Loki ordered, and they all fell back into formation, exiting the depot.

As they were walking, they all jumped when they heard a laser gun go off in the distance. They threw themselves against the nearest wall, and Tony dared a peek around the bend. He glanced back and held up his hand in the ‘Clear’ signal.

Loki nodded and muttered, “Sounds like they found Romanoff. Let's get a move on. Hand signals only.”

They were cautious, peering past every corner before moving the group forward, clearing each area thoroughly. More laser guns went off, and blue light bounced off the walls, but Tony felt a little better when he heard how far in the distance they were. It didn't sound like they were very near the target, if his sense of direction hadn't failed him. He smirked a little, imagining Natasha running Steve in circles.

Suddenly, a voice rang out through the silent air.

“Grenade!” Sam exclaimed, and they all responded instantly, leaping away from the glowing orb that had suddenly appeared in the middle of the floor. The loud, simulated blast made Tony’s ears ring as he landed hard on his side. He scrambled to his feet, flung himself to a secure wall and felt himself over. He didn't seem to have been hit. He glanced around at the others.

Loki and Sam were fine, pressed against the far wall opposite Tony; but Vision was flat on his ass, and one of the legs on his suit had glowing red lines running up it. He was alive, but that red was an indication of serious simulated injury. His leg was disabled.

The sounds of laser shots whizzed past Tony’s ear and he glanced wildly in the direction they had come from. It was the window of the faux building in front of them. Someone was in there. Tony threw himself to the wall that the window was on. He wouldn't be an easy shot now.

Sam was grabbing Vision by the arm and dragging him to safety, and Loki was back against the same wall as Tony on the other side of the window, staring intently at the opening. He glanced around; thankfully they were in an enclosed alley. The only way in and out of this building was through that window. They were safe for the moment.

Loki caught Tony’s eye and made a hand signal for ‘return fire’. Tony nodded and grabbed a holographic spray charge grenade from his inventory. He held his breath and tossed it into the window and pulled his arm back quickly.

He heard a startled shout following the multi-blast spray of the charge. It wasn't the most deadly of grenades, but it was loud and chaotic and easily caused panic, which lead to the desired effect; multiple footsteps stomped across the floor to flee from it, telling Tony that there were at least two enemies inside, maybe three.

Tony ducked down and crawled under the window, pressed against the wall, and popped up again next to Loki.

“Keep the window locked down.” Loki clicked a secondary ammo mod into his gun, charging it up. “Judging by the distant shots, I'm guessing Steve split up his squad.” He muttered.

“He never does that.” Tony frowned.

“He was likely briefed on my methodology and compensated for it.” Loki turned to glance at the other two. Vision had his arm around the back of Sam’s neck for support. “Status, Vis?”

“My leg is frozen.” Vision reported. When you got hit by the holographic lasers in this game, the fibers in the suit tightened and made it impossible to move that part of your body. “But I'm intact otherwise. I can still shoot.”

“Good. Alright, Wilson; track back and take the path around to the front of this building. Draw them off us. We’ll come through the window and back you up once we hear your fire. Pincer attack.”

“On it.” Sam helped transfer Vision to Loki, threw his gun onto his back and started sliding along the wall away from them as quick as he could.

“Having tea in there?” Loki called out. Tony knew it was to get a position on the enemy, and to convince them that his team was still there. Keep the attention on them, give Sam a better chance to sneak up.

“Yeah, wanna join me?” Came the voice of Stephen. Ensuring the enemy team was still in place was beneficial to the other side as well. As long as they were talking, both sides knew where the other was. “I know how much you like tea, boss.”

“Earl Grey or chai?”

“I’ve got Jasmine too.”

“Jasmine just doesn't have enough kick for me.” Loki nudged Tony.

“I'm more of a coffee fan myself.” Tony said loudly.

“I’d take the Jasmine.” Vision added. Having them speak up was a strategy. Tell the enemies that there was a bunch of them clustered there. Definitely no one running around the back.

“How’s everyone doing after that grenade blast?” Stephen asked. Tony knew there were more soldiers in there with Stephen, but they were keeping quiet. He was likely trying to convince them that he was alone. Draw them out into the ambush.

“Hurt my feelings more than my body.” Tony said. “But some might say that's more devastating long term.”

“I know a good therapist you can talk to ab-”

Stephen was interrupted suddenly by the loud sound of a simulated flamethrower filling the room, and response laser fire. Tony heard him curse and shout something about covering the door.

“That's our cue.” Loki said. He was working on taking a smoke grenade from his inventory.

“Allow me.” Tony backed away from the wall, and took several steps back.

“Wait, what are you-”

Tony burst forward in a run and took a flying leap through the window.

As he flew through the air, the light went from the dim of the outer maze to the pitch black of the interior room, lit up by blue and green flashes of gunfire. The second ran by in slow motion, and he took note in those micro moments of the locations of his enemies. He spotted Stephen in his dash for the wall, glancing in alarm towards the doorway. Rhodey and Clint were there, and had taken positions against each side of the door, preparing to shoot out at their attackers. Tony landed on his shoulder and rolled with the impact, whipping out his gun and a secondary pistol.

Before Stephen had a chance to raise his weapon, before Tony even landed back on his feet, he had fired off both weapons at Stephen with flashes of green. They hit him square in the torso, rippling off like shockwaves and he collapsed to the ground, disabled. Red lights spiraling out from the heart of his suit across his body; simulated death. The man would find himself paralyzed and unable to speak in this state.

Without stopping his motion, Tony twisted and took another leap towards a floor barricade in the room, rolling and landing in a crouch just as blue lasers flew where he had been moments before. Tony crouched with his back against the barrier for a moment before flinging himself to the edge of it, poking out and firing off blasts. His laser caught Rhodey on the shooting arm and sent his gun flying away.

“Goddamn it Ton-!”

He was silenced by another green shot to the leg and he collapsed under his own weight. Tony jumped up, gun pointed at his best friend on the ground. Rhodey was frantically trying to reach his gun that had skid away from him.

“Sorry, bud. Laser shows before bros.” And with that, Tony shot him directly in the chest. Out stretched the red lines again. Silenced by the simulation. Another fatality.

Suddenly Tony heard a communicator activate behind him. “Cap, Strange is d-”

Tony whirled around just as Clint was silenced with a shot to his back, the communicator on his wrist cut off as he collapsed to the ground. Tony glanced up from the shot’s originator. Loki was crouching in the windowsill like a cat, one eye closed, lowering his weapon.

“Well, Rogers can't win now.” Tony gestured to the ‘dead’ Ghost on the floor.

“No, but he can stop us from winning.” Loki stepped down from the window, motion liquid and graceful. “He’ll know what Barton was trying to say, and he’ll double back to protect the target. And he won't worry about protecting Wanda now. A suicidal enemy is the most dangerous. We need to move now.”

Vision was heaving himself in through the window, strong despite his disabled leg, and landed gingerly on one foot.

“That’ll be slow going, now.” Tony noted.

“Then stop wasting time.” Loki stepped over to Vision and the man slung his arm over his shoulders, Loki wrapping an arm around his torso. “Lets go.”

Tony glanced down at the three disabled enemies. Clint looked annoyed, Stephen looked frustrated, and Rhodey just glared at him. All three silenced by the simulated death from the suits, but he had a feeling Stephen and Rhodey would have words for him later. He winked at Rhodey, smirked and ran after his teammates.

They met Sam outside the faux building, and the four of them started running as fast as they could, Vision hobbling along supported by Loki.

“Romanoff, what's your status?” Loki muttered into the communicator as he went. But all they heard was static over the shared com.

“Maybe they got her.” Sam suggested.

Loki tried another line, “Banner?”

Still no response.

“Jammed signal, then.” Sam sighed. “We got no backup.”

Perimeters were secured halfhazardly. Tony checked his mental map; they were getting so close. They could actually win this. They rounded a bend, and there it was; that room, lit green by the terminal. Just past that clearing. They just had to reach the door-

“Cover!” Loki shouted and they all reacted instantly as the large form of Thor leapt through the door of the target point, brandishing his weapon. He managed to get a blue shot off at Sam, hitting him in his side before they all managed to duck behind a shorter wall.

“Shit.” Sam swore. “These suits don't mess around with simulated injuries.” A chunk of his ribcage was lit red, the suit taut. It wouldn't take him out of the game, but it would be difficult to bend his body with that.

Tony risked a quick peek over the barrier. Steve and Wanda had caught up to Thor and the trio now protected the entrance of the target room. Thor in the doorway, Steve and Wanda each had a small window. There was no way to sneak around them; there was just an open clearing between them and their goal.

Tony sat back down. “Well, we’re fucked.”

“What's the situation?” Loki asked.

“Wide open clearing, no defensible spots. Enemy is blocking the door. We’re fucked.”

“Not necessarily. You ever end up reading Ender’s Game?”

Tony thought about that. “I did, actually. It was good, even though you spoiled the ending. Why?”

“How did he beat his last Battle School game?”

Tony’s brain buffered for a moment before it clicked. “We don't have enough people to pull that off.”

“If we’re quick, aim true and angle our bodies right, we can do it.”

“Its hella risky.”

“Its our only chance.”

“What the hell are you nerds talking about?” Sam asked.

“The enemy’s gate is down.” Loki said with a maniacal grin. “Alright, listen carefully.”

 

“What are they doing?” Thor grumbled. His trigger finger was getting itchy, but there was no sign of the Green Team.

“I have no idea.” Steve said truthfully. “Maximoff?”

“Loki is purely a stealth tactition, I am not sure what he will do if a frontal attack is the only option.” Wanda answered.

“Alright.” Steve thought it through. “Their only hope is surprise. They’re going to wait it out, hope we either fall into a lull or get impatient and try to push the situation. So we’re going to focus, stay alert, and by no means leave our posts.”

Wanda and Thor both agreed, and cocked their guns, eyes sharp.

After a few moments, they spotted movement.

“What the hell…?” Steve’s eyes widened.

The group of four had emerged from the barrier in a tight cluster, arms locked. The two Ghosts hid behind Tony and Sam, Vision being helped to move by the locked limbs of the cluster. They were all sidestepping, presenting a small target and non-vital body parts, guns aimed at the enemy.

“Fire!” Steve shouted. A barrage of blue laser fire erupted at the group. Tony and Sam raised their arms to protect their faces from the onslaught of fire, the lasers rippling off and causing red lines to appear on parts of their suits. They shot back, green lasers whipping through the air. Sam managed to catch Thor on the shoulder before he ducked behind the door.

Tony felt his shield arm tensing up where it was shot, and his leg was going stiff. He wouldn't last much longer. But he was held up sturdy by the tangled arms, the momentum of the cluster keeping him going. They were getting closer and closer to the target. Just a few more moments.

Loki and Vision rested their guns across the shoulders of their human shields, providing more constant fire. Steve and his team couldn't risk popping out from their windows as a barrage of green framed all openings.

Wanda fearlessly tried to poke out and take a quick shot, but Vision was faster. He had anticipated it. He shot even before her head had fully appeared, and the green light hit her square in the forehead. She howled and dropped down, disabled.

As they were distracted by Wanda, however, they realized too late that it had been a decoy. Thor barreled out of the door with a war cry, his gun on rapidfire, and pelted the Green Team with a barrage of blue light. They fired back, but several of Thor’s shots had caught Sam’s vital areas, and he collapsed in a heap, his suit spiraling with red, his deadweight too heavy to be held up by the rest. Tony managed to shoot Thor down, but Steve appeared in the window, aiming directly at the now-exposed Vision. Tony shouted and went to leap to absorb the shot for Vision. He heard the laser go off as he flew through the air in slow motion, falling to the ground with a crash, landing half on top of Sam.

When the dust cleared, Tony realized he didn't feel paralyzed. He looked down at his suit and blinked. It hadn’t turned red. Did he miss? He glanced up, but Vision was still up, leaning against Loki. The Commander smirked, gazing up at something.

“You know, I might see if they can make an exception for you at the Ghost Program.” He said.

Tony glanced up, following Loki’s gaze, and saw Natasha crouching on top of a low barrier. She had a cocky smile on her face.

Loki glanced down at Tony. “Lets go take our win.”

Tony’s shock was slowly replaced with a grin, and he rolled off of Sam and leapt up to his feet. He glanced down at Sam. The man had a disgruntled look on his face as he glared at Tony. He’d be receiving words from him later as well, Tony realized with a sigh.

Tony, Natasha, Loki and Vision strode down the clearing, stepped over the paralyzed body of Thor, and entered the room. They walked past the crumpled bodies of Wanda and Steve, heading towards the green-lit terminal. Tony took Vision’s arm and helped him to one side of the terminal, while Loki took the other side.

Loki glanced down at the frozen Steve Rogers, whose silent face was a mixture of annoyed and impressed. “Checkmate, Captain.” With that, both Ghosts plunged down on their respective triggers.

The whole room instantly lit up green, and the game ending siren blared. The terminal blinked the words ‘Green Team Victorious’, and the Old Earth song Sweet Victory chorus line started playing through the speakers.

Tony couldn't help but laugh out loud. He knew Loki had a hand in that. “Nice touch.” He said.

Loki spread his hands, smirk crossing his face.

The popup walls and barriers starting folding up around them, sliding down into the floor with a mild scraping sound. The lights slowly got brighter. They could see the rest of Blue Team on the ground in the distance, and much further was Bruce, who had started walking in their direction. The red lights on the ‘dead’ soldiers blacked out and they all took breaths, finally free from the cocoons of their suits. Vision’s leg released in tension and he was able to stand on his own again.

Steve got to his feet and walked over to Loki. He held his hand out to shake. “Impressive win, Commander. I might have to add that final strategy of yours to my collection.”

Loki firmly shook his hand, a bit of a smile at the edge of his mouth. “You weren't an easy opponent yourself. I really have to thank your soldiers, though.” He glanced at Tony meaningfully. “You command an impressive squad.”

Thor stepped over to them slowly, rubbing the back of his neck with a sore wince. He had been paralyzed in a weird position, and was clearly feeling it. “Well then, how about celebratory beer for this glorious victory of my brother’s?” He suggested.

“Good idea.” Steve agreed. “First round’s on me, ladies and gents.” With that, he turned and started heading towards the exit of the room.

As everyone filed after him, meeting up with those who had crossed the room to join back up with the group, sharing victory cheers or grumbling about this or that, Tony stayed for a moment. Loki was the last to begin following the rest, but Tony grabbed him by the uniform.

“Was this a test?” He asked, when everyone was out of earshot.

Loki looked at him, green eyes feigning innocence. “Whatever do you mean?”

“I just have this weird feeling that you fixed the system to ensure I got on your team.” Tony said frankly.

“That's quite an accusation. But I imagine that wouldn't be too difficult a feat for someone in my position, hypothetically.”

“Right. So I'm just wondering, hypothetically, why someone in your position would do such a thing.”

“I wouldn't worry about it.” Loki smirked. He pulled away from Tony’s grip and turned his back on him. “You passed. Hypothetically.”


	5. I’ll Be There

“You know, I almost never split up my forces, but I really thought I had you there.”

Steve lounged in his seat at the small round table, sipping at a tall mug of beer. The entire group was relaxing with drinks in the cantina, each at the smaller tables in a cluster. Not quite together, but also not apart. Each table chatted amongst themselves, but sometimes someone turned around to cut in on a discussion.

“You nearly did.” Loki held a glass of wine elegantly between his fingers. He had his feet up and crossed on the table. “I was impressed by your flexibility.”

“Hey, now.” Tony was walking up behind the man with his drink. “You're only allowed to say that about me.” He said suggestively, planting a hand on the back of Loki’s chair while he took a sip.

Loki glanced up with a smirk. “I was certainly impressed with that window stunt.” He playfully refused to take the bait.

Steve was oblivious to their flirting. “Sometimes I think Mr. Stark here is a little _too_ flexible. Particularly about following orders.”

“Well, that's the thing about loose canons. They’ll eventually hit their mark.” Loki casually planted his finger on his mouth in a suggestive, pointing gesture so subtle that only Tony picked it up, who proceeded to choke on his drink.

“Brother!” Thor’s voice boomed as he reached them, and slapped Loki on the arm. “How does it feel to have bested the previously undefeated Steve Rogers?”

Loki slumped a little, comfortably, in his chair and took a sip of wine. “Ah, lets not pretend it was all me. It was really Rogers’ own people that beat him, not I.”

“Hey, if it was just us, we woulda met them head-on like a pack of hard-asses.” Tony grinned. “You gave us a strategy to work with.”

“And the Captain would not have attempted such a strategy if he did not know he was facing someone like you.” Thor grinned, sitting in the seat beside him.

“You’d be surprised how often a simple bull ring works.” Steve confirmed. “Just not so much when you're trying to hit an enemy that _isn't_ trying to come after you.”

“With the number of good shooters on your team, I'm not surprised.” Loki said. “Your regular laser tag opponents must hate you.”

“I like to think of it as indignant respect.” Steve smiled coyly. “Either way, it was a great game, and I think it’ll be handy to understand each other's way of thinking for our upcoming mission.”

“Gotta say, it was a pleasure working with you, Commander.” Natasha spoke up from the other side of the table. She swirled her drink in her hand. “It's not often I get to pull out all my stealth training stops in this squad.”

“Speaking of, you gotta tell us what the hell you did in there.” Tony pointed at her. “Not only did you give Steve the runaround, you even came back to save our asses. Did you pull a full-on Home Alone?” Tony knew only Loki would understand that reference. Half the reason he used it.

“A magician never reveals her secrets.” Natasha spread her hands.

Loki grinned. “It was indeed impressive, you could give half the Program a run for their money. I do hope we will get the chance to work together more in the future.”

“Likewise.”

The team chatted about the day’s game, discussing strategy and sharing moments. It dissolved into telling stories, laughing and drinking like their previous night in the cantina; and by now the Ghosts, although unable to share their own military experiences, were joining in with the banter like the rest. Already part of the family. It was hard not to; Steve’s team was a like a pack of endearingly loud, rambunctious siblings. Though they all teased and beat on each other, the affection was evident. A family you wanted to be a part of, to join in on the fun and the love.

Tony and Loki’s short flirtatious comments at each other that were obscure enough to be missed by everyone else around them. Tony was having too much fun showing off his clever tongue, and Loki easily kept up with him. It was just like the old days, in a way. The clever banter, the chase. Tony had never met anyone capable of keeping up with him before Loki, and never did after. He filled a void that no one had been able to fill before, in many more ways than one.

It seemed something similar was true for Loki as well. When he and Tony went up to the bar to get more drinks, Loki kept getting stopped by various drunk, flirtatious marines who seemed intimately familiar with him. Loki shooed them all away, but Tony couldn’t help but notice a pattern. All of them had brown hair, brown eyes, tanned skin, and had a similar stature to Tony’s. He elected not to embarrass Loki by mentioning it, but he couldn't help a secret smirk to himself and the swelling of pride in his chest.

Rhodey got revenge on Tony for killing him in the game by throwing in embarrassing stories from when they were teenagers whenever he could, but Tony didn't give him the satisfaction of embarrassment and spun the tales like they were impressive somehow. Sam reamed him out for that flying suicide leap that landed directly on him, showing the bruise on his ribcage where Tony’s shoulder connected. But Tony quickly turned that around by encouraging everyone to gush about the man’s abs again, to Sam’s annoyance. Stephen got his own revenge by making Tony’s glass fly out of his hand with his telekinesis.

“That was their last 98 Whiskey.” Tony sighed at his loss.

The room was loud with activity and music, the team chatting away with each other. Tony sat at Thor’s other side now, nursing his fourth drink (not including the lost one). He glanced over at Loki. The man had sunk deeper into the chair, legs hanging over the armrest, cheeks and nose a bit pink. He had an entire bottle of wine in his hand, apparently having given up on the glass.

“Do you need to be cut off?” Tony called over. That got Thor’s attention as well, who glanced down at his brother.

Loki didn't bother even looking at them, instead slowly raising his hand in a thumbs up sign and saying, “I'm good.”

Thor laughed. “We Odinsons are known for holding our liquor!”

“I mean, it takes practice.” Loki yawned.

“Indeed, do you remember when mother allowed you a small cup of wine that one Yule?”

“Oh gods, lets not go there.”

“Father never did forgive you for what you did to our grandfather’s antique wooden Yule Goat ornament.”

“The thing was looking at me funny.”

“Do you set everyone that looks at you funny on fire?”

“I mean, most people that look at me funny these days just want to get in my pants. That goat had straight up bad vibes for me.”

Thor laughed hard and punched his brother gently on the shoulder. “It would not be an Odinson family Yule anyway if _something_ was not on fire.”

Tony felt himself grinning as he watched the brotherly banter. He felt a bit of a sad knot tightening in his stomach, though. It crossed his mind that if Loki had never been taken, Tony might have gotten to experience an Odinson Yule as part of the family. He grieved for the loss of potential experiences around a cozy hearth, drunken laughter and clever gifts; perhaps being doted on by Loki’s mother, the warm woman Loki always told him about. He would have brought her flowers, offered to help in the kitchen. Maybe it could have felt like… like his childhood Christmases, with his own mother, before…

Tony pinched between his eyes and sighed, forcing the tears back. No use thinking about any of this right now. The only way to look now was forward.

He was suddenly startled by a heavy weight landing on him, and he looked up to realize Loki had dropped himself into his lap; one arm around his shoulders, the other still holding that wine bottle. “So, Tony.” He took a swig of the wine. “I promised my brother here that I would convince you to add Reaper thrusters to his suit.”

Tony glanced over at Thor. He was staring at them a bit wide-eyed. He was clearly trying to work out whether this was just Loki flirting to get his way, or if the pair of them had something between them. Tony had told him about the reality of his relationship with Loki when they were younger, even going so far as to tell him that he had loved Loki. But he wouldn't blame Thor for not considering that they might already have moved on to a more… advanced stage in the relationship after only having been reunited for a few days.

Steve, though. Tony caught him with a raised eyebrow before the man glanced away. That's right… the Captain didn't know that Tony had known Loki beforehand. The only people that knew were Rhodey, Thor and Bruce. He tried not to smirk at his own victory; to anyone who didn't know their past, it looked impressive to see him so close to the Number One of SHIELD, especially in so little time.

“You know you have a Marauder suit, right?” Tony addressed Thor, glancing between him and up at the man lounging casually in his lap. “Literally the heaviest class of Powered Combat Suit there is?”

Thor shook off his surprise and took a sip of his beer, shrugging. “If anyone can figure out how to get a Marauder off the ground, it is you, Stark.”

“Why would you want that, though? There's no way you'll have the same stability to fire off your grenade launchers in the air.”

“It occurred to me during our escape of the reactor explosion.” Thor explained. “I do not want it for air barrage, I want it for quick escapes.”

“Why not… switch to Reaper armor then?”

“I like the Marauder suit.” Thot grinned.

Tony sighed. “Alright, buddy. I'll look into it.” He muttered, “Soon everyone’s gonna be asking me for retrofitted Reaper boosters. We’re gonna be the fuckin Frankenstein squad.”

“I don't see why all the suits don't have the option anyway.” Loki drawled. He drunkenly wobbled a bit and Tony placed an arm around his waist for stability.

“Reaper thrusters have a considerable rate of spontaneous combustion, even with the short-jump model.” Tony explained, distracted as he gazed up at those glazed-over, green eyes. “If we multiplied that by as many power suited troops as we got, we’d have an exponentially significant loss on our hands.”

“Mm.” Loki traced Tony’s jawline with his finger. “You're sexy when you say big words.” His voice was slurred and hard to hear.

Tony laughed and shifted his weight. “Alright, I think you need to go to bed.” He unhooked the man’s arm from around his neck.

“Pfft, I could go all night.” Loki mumbled, but allowed himself to be pushed up into a standing position as Tony got up from the seat beside him, arm around his waist for support.

Thor was staring at them in perplexion, his eyes a mix of emotions. Tony hoped Thor trusted him enough not to want to murder him for having anything to do with his little brother. He had to; they'd been great friends for a decade. He knew Tony only had good intentions towards Loki.

“I'm ah, gonna get him to his bed.” Tony told Thor, prodding Loki to start walking.

“Do you need help?” Thor asked.

“Nah, I got it. Night, bud.”

 

Tony got Loki into bed alright. Tony’s bed, that was. Loki was less drunk than he had let on; the sneaky bastard had played it up to give them an excuse to leave. As they headed down the hall, he insisted they go to Tony’s dorm, and it wasn't long until they had stripped and tumbled into the cot together.

The sex was hot and aggressive, their faces flush with alcohol and passion. Tony’s favorite heavy metal band, Level 800 Elite Tauren Chieftain, played loud around them. Tony lay on his back, hands on Loki’s hips, and gazed up at that beautiful face as Loki rode him, scrunched in intense pleasure as he moved. The face that had taken complete, calm control in the simulated battlefield. The face with the cocky smirk after his victory, like he had known he would win all along. The same face begged for Tony to go deep inside of him, to do all sorts of things to his body. Commanding and in control everywhere else, yet wanted nothing else but to lose control in bed.

This man wasn't so different from the old Loki in that he was a multi-faceted, contradictive conundrum. Where once he was a conflicting whirlwind of having an intense passion for life and the things found within it while also desperately wishing for the release of death, now he was… this. It was different. It would likely never be the same. But it wasn't unfamiliar, as Tony was starting to discover. And it was starting to make him feel better. Feel more like he knew Loki again. Felt comfortable in this relationship they had.

Loki soon collapsed on top of Tony and breathed hard, tired out. He’d had a strenuous day and was running low on energy. As did Tony, but he still had some steam left. So he gripped those hips tight for leverage and pushed up into Loki, who tensed up and groaned in response, and then he started pounding into him from below.

They were both hot and sweaty. Tony soon found the motion in this position to be too much effort, and moved to reposition. Loki on his belly, lower body propped up with a pillow, Tony continuing the effort from behind. He smirked with the timeliness when he realized the L800ETC song _[Rogues Do It From Behind](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfVS_WxyElM)_  was playing. Loki moaned loud over the music, and gripped the bedsheets tight as Tony slammed into him, thighs slapping against that lovely ass, hitting him repeatedly where he knew his pleasure point was from that odd empathetic connection.

It became so intense that Loki was practically howling, and he came untouched, Tony following seconds after.

They collapsed into the bed, curled up together, as their heartbeats slowed down from the activity, slowed all the way down to the faint beat of unconsciousness. This time, Loki didn't have to leave. Tony thought about how nice it would be to wake up to that beautiful man in his arms, as he drifted off to sleep.

 

Tony opened his eyes to find himself strapped into a kind of medical gurney, metal and uncomfortable, cold against his bare skin. The world was muddled and warped and he struggled to understand what was happening. The room was dimly lit, and the motion around him was a blur. The sounds of voices warbled in his ears, and he could barely make out words from them.

“…neural… inject the…”

“…can't withstand…?”

“…anyway…”

Suddenly Tony realized that a massive machine was descending from above, horrifically long needles hanging down like stalactites, aiming directly for his body. The terror came. The panic. He tried to shout, to protest, to beg it to stop, but nothing came out. He was paralyzed, helpless as the needles came down relentlessly.

The pain started out as a stinging as they pierced the surface of his skin, his heart pounded in terror, adrenaline and absolute horror rushing through his veins. His arms, his legs, his abdomen, his chest, his forehead. They plunged deeper, through his muscles, deeper, his bones cracking as the needles stabbed through them like they were nothing. He felt it pierce into the deep interior of his brain. He was in horrible, horrible agony like nothing he had felt before. His whole body and mind screamed. Screamed through that white hot pain but nothing came out.

Suddenly, it was all gone. Released from the prison of paralyses and needles, Tony breathed heavily and shook, his body experiencing cold tremors from the shock of it. He was kneeling on the ground, panting, watching the sweat drip from his brow onto the cold cement under him.

He looked up, and realized everything was pitch black, except for one spotlit, circular area around Tony. He stared into the darkness. He had no idea how far it went. Was he in a room, or outside? Was the darkness all there was to the world?

He felt an anxiety, a terror rising in his belly. He had that awful, creeping sensation that he wasn't alone. There was something in the darkness, watching him. He heard the faintest of whispers tickling in his ears all around him and his hair stood on end. He curled up into a ball, horrified by the darkness past the circle of light. Paralyzed by fear.

Then the circle of light started shrinking. Tony cried out. “Please,” he begged. “Please don't let the light go!” It was the only thing, the only thing keeping the unknown at bay. Whatever was in the darkness, it was held back by the light. The disappearing light.

He cried and begged as the darkness edged closer, as the circle of light shrank until it touched his toes. He curled up as tight as he could, but it was no use. The light shrank until it was gone, until the darkness enveloped him, the cold crawling across his skin, and the creatures were all around him, roaring in his ears. He screamed in terror.

Then the floor disappeared, and he was falling. Falling through the darkness.

He landed in a heap on the ground, the wind knocked out of him. His bones felt broken, his muscles throbbing. He managed to open his eyes, and he realized he was surrounded by people. To his horror, they had no faces. They started kicking him, all around him, every part of his body. Hard shoes connected with his already-screaming bones. The people laughed cruelly in their youthful voices, despite having no mouths to laugh from. The laughter enveloped him, and he found himself howling in pain.

Then an intense energy grew in his belly, like a horrible clenching of the abdomen. It grew and filled his veins, setting his bones on fire and he screamed in agony as the sound of electrostatic vibrated through the air, the energy erupting out of him like a million insects bursting from inside his skin. The smell of burning flesh and hair and the sound of a dozen children screaming and dying filled the air, and everything was gone again.

He opened his eyes. This time, he found himself in a dim, gray cell. Silence filled his ears as he breathed heavily, heart pounding from the horrors he’d been dragged through. He glanced around wildly. There was a hard-looking cot at the edge of the room, and alien writing on the walls. Complex algorithms coded in unreadable symbols written in charcoal. On the opposite wall, Tony spotted a shining surface. He stayed paralyzed in place for a long while, before he worked up the nerve to walk over to it.

It was a mirror, he soon realized. But the face that stared back was not his own. Those eyes were not his.

He was staring into the pale, ghostly face of Loki. Young, like he remembered him 12 years ago. Wearing white, ratty pajamas. Green eyes dull with pain and fear and torment. Skin sickly and covered in bruises and gashes, lip split and swollen. He looked on the verge of death.

He stared at this mirror reflection in horror for a long time before he realized, with a sick feeling of dread, that he wasn't alone.

A dark figure stood tall at his shoulder, hands behind his back, barely visible in the dim light of the room and the warping of the mirror. But there was no mistaking that intense, one-eyed gaze.

The gaze of Director Fury.

 

Tony opened his eyes and shot up into a sitting position, gasping. His entire body was trembling, haunted by all the pain and horrors he’d just been assaulted with.

He looked down at his arms. It was dark, the light of his chest implant snuffed by the case cover, but his eyes adjusted quickly. This time, he didn't see the pale, thin arms of Loki. Now he saw the tanned, muscled arms of Tony. He was Tony, and he was in his bed. His bed on the Carrier battlecruiser. He let out a long breath in relief. It was just a nightmare.

Then he felt something slap against his side and he glanced down. Loki, half covered by the sheets, lying on his side and facing Tony. His eyes were closed, but his brows were scrunched and he was writhing and whimpering in his sleep.

“Hey, Loki. Wake up.” Tony said, gently shaking him.

He received the shock of his life as an arc of green energy erupted from Loki’s skin as he started awake, green eyes wide open with alarm. Tony felt that energy surge through his body and yelped in pain.

Loki shot up into a sitting position, falling back against the wall in a sort of upright, defensive fetal position, and looked around wildly.

“Ow ow, Loki calm down you're- ow _shit_ that fucking hurt.” Tony cursed, shaking his hand in the air in pain as he slid away from Loki, giving him some room, hands up in surrender.

Loki’s wild, glowing eyes rested on Tony for a long moment before recognition set in, and his alarmed state slowly deflated. “Tony?” He croaked. His hands were trembling where he gripped the sheets.

“I'm here. You okay?” Tony asked. The shock and pain of the electricity was ebbing away, leaving him with nothing but concern.

Loki swallowed and nodded slowly. He looked like he was struggling to push down that frightened animal look. Face white as a ghost. “Did I hurt you?” He asked.

“You gave me a shock, but I'm fine.” Tony crawled closer. “Loki, what the _fuck_ were you dreaming about?”

Loki pulled the sheet around himself. “What do you mean?”

Tony frowned. He realized he didn't really know what he meant. His half-asleep mind had come to a conclusion that he suddenly realized didn't make any sense. “I… was having this awful nightmare. I was being tortured or something. And then I looked in the mirror, and I was… you.” He explained, brows furrowed. “I thought… I don't know… that I was somehow experiencing your nightmare.”

“That's not possible.” Tony saw a brief flash of panic behind Loki’s eyes before it disappeared. “You were a prisoner of war once, weren't you? Held by a rebel group?”

“…yeah, why?”

“They tortured you, yes?”

“Yeah, but not like that.” Tony frowned. He felt suspicious of where this was going. “I have nightmares about that all the time, it was _not_ like that.”

“The human mind is a funny thing. It can take your experiences and blend them with subconscious thoughts to create something new.”

“You're saying my brain just came up with all that fucked up shit?”

“I'm saying your unconscious mind took a lot of elements from things you've seen and thought about and projected them onto your experiences as a victim of torture. Taking your real, experienced pain and translating it into something else.”

Tony was feeling confused. Loki was behaving very strangely. He was using Tony’s experiences as a defensive weapon. Trying to distract him, shift his focus, and it was working… he felt the anxiety crawling up through his stomach.

He’d call him a manipulative bastard, but he had a feeling there was something far deeper than malice. He didn't know why, but he got the sense that there was _nothing_ more important than getting away from this subject. _Nothing_. Tony knew he wouldn't resort to such methods unless it was something dire. That this situation was the _pinnacle_ of dire. To the point that he could feel the sickness and dread welling up in the stomach of the man before him, saw the way his face paled more than he thought possible, saw the absolute frozen horror in his eyes.

“What was your nightmare about, then?” Tony couldn't help but ask anyway.

Loki stared at him for a moment. “The Zerg.” He said. “I think I'm having anxiety about fighting the Zerg tomorrow.”

It was a valid fear. It was no doubt a dream that a lot of men were having that night. The Zerg were a terror worth having nightmares about. Worth writhing and crying out in your sleep. Tony’s dreams were often haunted by the horrors he’d seen. The teeth, the eyes, the maws. The awful hisses and screeches of those alien, _alien_ monsters. There was nothing in the galaxy so horrifying as the Zerg. And it was evident Loki had had close run-ins with them, considering the claw marks on his back.

But Tony knew that wasn't what Loki was dreaming about. He _knew_ he was lying.

He knew PTSD when he saw it. Like looking in a mirror. Loki’s mask couldn't hide it right now. Loki’s mask couldn't hide anything from him right now. Tony saw straight through the man more clearly than he had in the past few days of his reemergence into his life. He knew Loki thought he was being clever in his methods of escaping the subject, but Tony wasn't fooled for one second. He knew he was right. He didn't understand any of it, he didn't know what or how, didn't know how much of it was true memory; but he knew that nightmare had been Loki’s.

But he nodded anyway. “Well, hey. Nothing to worry about. We’ll be in and out.” Tony said, voice a bit clipped. “Let's try to get some sleep, yeah?”

Loki nodded in agreement, seeming quite relieved to put an end to their discussion. All the tension flowed out of him, and he just looked tired now.

Tony fluffed the pillow and slid back down onto his side, then pat the bed in front of him. Loki untangled his fingers from the sheets with an exhale, and crawled back over to Tony, flopping down, back against his torso, spine pressing against the metal chest implant. Tony wrapped his arms around him tight, their naked bodies flush together, thin sheet covering their lower bodies.

As Tony lay there, spooning Loki, he silently listened to his breathing until it slowed to unconsciousness. He gently brushed Loki’s hair with his fingers, his mind running through what he had seen in that nightmare. He was too tired to analyze it deeply, his mind shutting down as he drifted to sleep. But he knew, in his heart, that something awful had happened to Loki. Something so much worse than Tony could imagine. The pain and horror in that dream made his own nightmares look like they belonged on the playground.

Tony didn't know how much of it was real. But he was determined of one thing.

He would do everything in his power to make sure Loki never went through anything like that again. Do everything he couldn't way back then, when Loki needed him most.

Tony would be there for him always, like he promised so long ago.

 

—

 

_12 years ago_

 

Loki was having… issues. It didn't take Tony long to realize it, even over text.

At first, his responses just came slower than usual. Then Tony noticed that he didn't have his usual enthusiasm between the lines. His logic was off, and he started talking in strange hypotheticals and allegories. Eventually, Tony asked if he was alright. Loki insisted he was fine, but it didn't take much pushing to break him down.

 

**I'm just having a rough day**

**Did something happen?**

**No**

**Do you wanna talk about it?**

**Can I call you?**

 

Loki took so long to respond that Tony felt anxiety claw at his stomach, dread that something bad was happening, and he tried to call him anyway.

Loki didn't answer until the third attempt. It was voice-only.

“Loki?”

“Mm.”

“What's going on?”

“N’thing.”

“…Did you take something?”

“Mm.”

Tony felt a stab at his heart. “What did you take?”

“Dunno.”

“You don't _know_?”

Loki made an indistinguishable sound.

Tony was panicking now. What if he OD’d on something? He considered calling the emergency services line. “Can you turn on the video feed?”

“Hm?”

“The video feed, Loki. Just tell your interface to turn on video.”

He heard some light shuffling over the line, and waited, but nothing happened.

Tony frowned. He didn't want to have to do this, but Loki had left him no choice. “Alright, I'm sending an override hack to force your system to do what I want it to. Hope you're decent.”

“M‘kay.”

Tony quickly plugged the numbers into the program. He’d used it a few times before, but only to prank people. One time he’d hacked into Rhodey’s device and had it start playing porn in class. That had been hysterical. But that was a memory for another time. Today, this system was getting used for something serious, and he was eternally glad he had it at his disposal.

He sent the bug over text, and a progress bar appeared on his interface. It didn't take long. Soon he had an extra window displaying a control panel for Loki’s wrist implant. He plugged in the command for video feed.

Another window appeared in the air. It took him a moment to realize that the feed was at the floor view of Loki’s room, dimly lit in purple. And there was Loki’s pale, scrawny body; lying there in a heap on the carpet in his pajamas.

“Oh god, Loki. What did you do?” Tony stared in horror. The kid was sprawled out on his stomach, cheek planted on the floor, eyes closed. His vaporizer was on the ground next to his face. He’d obviously taken something.

He had to find out what he’d taken. And he thanked everything he could think to thank in this situation that Loki had a medical implant. In order to measure out the correct dosage, that thing had to take blood readings regularly. All Tony had to do was connect to it, and it would tell him exactly what was in Loki’s blood. He sent the request through Loki’s device.

“Loki? You with me bud?”

The boy stirred in the video feed, but no response. Tony’s blood ran cold. He had one finger hovering over the call command for the emergency line. The results of the blood test appeared, and he glanced over them quickly.

A wave of relief rushed through them, and he dropped his hand from the emergency line.

It was just an extra high dose of HCD-12. That was definitely something you could OD on, but the levels in Loki’s blood weren't high enough to worry about. He’d seen this response to a high dose of it at parties before. People just napped for a bit and then woke up with a little minor memory loss. Loki would be fine.

Tony sat back on his bed and let out a long breath, willing the stress out of his body. He silently cursed Loki for freaking him out like that. He had truly started to think that the next time he saw the boy, it would be in a coffin.

For the next half hour, Tony played with holographic schematics while occasionally checking Loki’s vitals and blood composition samples. He looked at the video feed now and then, searching for any change. When the boy didn't budge, Tony just stared at his face for a bit. He sure was cute when he slept. Even in that concerning position.

Eventually, Loki began to stir in his sleep.

“Loki?” Tony called out.

Those pretty green eyes finally blinked open, pupils blown from the drugs. Loki looked confused and dazed at first, but eventually lifted his head and looked around. Tony tried not to laugh at the carpet imprint on the side of his face.

“Morning, sleepyhead.”

Loki pushed himself up into a sitting position, head bobbing a bit. He winced, grabbed his head and closed his eyes. After a moment, he squinted at the video feed. “Tony?”

“Hey, bud.”

“What happened?” His voice was slurred with drowsiness.

“You took too much HCD.”

Loki stared down at his vaporizer for a long while before it seemed to register in his head.

“You're okay, though. I've been monitoring.”

“You… huh?”

“I hacked into your system to keep an eye on you.”

Loki stared at the video of Tony, eyes widening in alarm.

“As in about half an hour ago when I thought you OD’d.” Tony hurriedly assured. He realized that first statement had made him sound like a stalker. “I swear I wouldn't have done it if I didn't think it was an emergency. And I just finished relinquishing all of my control.”

Loki sat back against his bed frame, staring out at nothing, looking like a frazzled mess.

“How you feeling?” Tony asked.

“Tired.”

“Yeah, you're gonna be sleepy for a few hours. Maybe you should go to bed.” Tony hesitated for a moment. “Loki, why’d you take so much HCD? Were you… _trying_ to hurt yourself?”

Loki glanced at the video feed. “No.”

That was a relief. “Then why?”

“I wasn't feeling good and my regular dose wasn't doing enough.”

“Why weren't you feeling good?”

Loki rubbed his eye and looked away. “…I’m just feeling really sick of shit right now.” He sniffed.

Tony frowned. It made him sad, every time Loki got this way. He always wished there was some way he could just… make everything better.

“I'm fucking sick of this.” Loki surprised him by lifting his arm and flashing the wrist implant. “It gets really itchy sometimes but if I scratch at it too much I'll make myself bleed. I'm sick of how the shit they put in me makes my head feel cloudy and confused and doesn't even work. I'm sick of forgetting shit all the time.” He wasn't looking directly at the video feed, but Tony could see tears welling up in his eyes as he glared down at his wrist implant. “Sick of not being able to go outside whenever I want because there's too many _people_. Sick of my parents telling me to just hold on a while longer and Thor living how I wanna live and not really being able to hate him for it because I love him and he means the world to me and I'm just so fucking _tired_ -”

By this point Loki had planted his face in his arms against his knees and his voice was getting muffled and indistinguishable. Tony blinked, not really sure what to say right now. This was all sort of odd. Usually he had to push for more detailed information on how Loki was feeling, but here he was pouring his heart out with hardly any prodding. Probably a side effect of the drugs.

“Hey, Loki?”

Loki grumbled into his arms.

“You got too much going on in your head, buddy. Stuff you can't really do anything about right now, stuff you should think about more when you have a clear head.” Tony said softly. “Wanna watch cat videos?”

“…yeah.”

Eventually Tony got Loki to get up from the floor, go grab himself a hot cup of tea from the kitchen processor, and get himself into bed. They watched cute and funny cat videos in a shared stream for a little under an hour, laughing and gushing over the animals. Loki seemed more relaxed and in better spirits as it went on, and Tony was pleased to have witnessed the difference. To have helped make him feel better.

Eventually, Loki’s eyes started drooping.

“You should get some sleep. You've had a long day.” Tony told him. “You'll feel better in the morning.”

Loki was silent for a very long moment. The cogs in his brain were seemingly moving quite slowly right now. Eventually he seemed to figure out what he wanted to say.

“Why do you care, Stark?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why do you… care what happens to me.”

“Because you're my friend?”

“Even before we were friends. You cared.”

Tony blinked. He hadn't really thought about that. “I don't know. Maybe I saw a broken person. I like to fix broken things.” The realization hit him as he said it.

Loki laughed bitterly. “You can't fix people.”

“No?”

“You see broken people, you think you have the answers, it's all so logical; but people don't change. Not intentionally, anyway. Not because you want them to, or because of some advice you gave them.” Loki’s eyes were distant and glazed as he spoke. “People can only change on their own accounts, by chance or by strength. It's either a fight against the current or an uphill battle. But you can't just _fix_ people. You can only sit on the sidelines, offer them your support, and hope all the conditions work in their favor. You can only wait and hope things work out best for them.”

The silence grew between them for a long moment. Loki had been rambling in a daze, but they were words from his heart and mind. He knew they weren't just meant for Tony. Knew they weren't even _about_ Tony. His intelligent, philosophical, well-read mind spoke of things he’d dealt with all his life with a wisdom beyond his years.

“It's alright, if I can’t fix you.” Tony said softly. “But I’ll do my best to give you a reason to keep surviving.”

A hint of a fond smile crossed Loki’s face.

“Whatever you go through, I'll be there.” Tony promised him.

“I’d like that.”

“Good. Now go the fuck to sleep.”

 

—

 

_Present day_

 

Tony strode in through the sliding door, Rhodey at his side. Their footsteps clacked against the metal floor as they entered the bridge. They were the last to arrive, the rest of the squad and the Ghosts standing around the central console, which displayed a hologram of the planet Koton.

As they had exited warp space this morning, the planet became visible through any front-facing windows on the ship. Koton was dark; rocky and sparsely volcanic. The atmosphere wasn’t overly hazardous temperature- and pressure-wise, but it didn't consist of anything breathable for Terrans. The surface was mostly barren, with only a few extremophile species able to thrive in small patches. It was assumed that it had once been a more lush planet before extreme disasters had stripped most of the ecosystem.

Everyone was geared up and had their game faces on; Natasha and Clint in their flight suits with attached slim oxygen tanks, the Ghosts in their lightly armored uniforms, and the rest in their flexible jumpsuits with electrical attachments that allowed them to control their power armor once inside. Each of the Ghosts had a large C-20A canister rifle strapped to their backs, and goggles on their heads. Everyone else had small pistols and knives strapped to their bodies; last effort weapons should they be forced from their suits. Of course, in a toxic atmosphere like on Koton, they’d be dead outside the pressurized environment of the suits; but it was best to come prepared for everything.

They were all fierce and intimidating. This was an assembly ready for battle. Ready to face down the hellspawn of the galaxy. Ready to make some Zerglings run back to their Broodmothers.

“Alright, ladies and gents.” Fury addressed the assembled team. Tony faltered for a second when he faced that one-eyed-man. He recalled his presence in his (well, Loki’s) nightmare last night. He didn't know what it meant, and he felt unsettled.

But he shook it off. Now was not the time.

“Your target.” Fury swiped at the hologram on the console, zooming in on the planet while also displaying the location of the Carrier. They were orbiting in time with the planet to stay directly above the facility they needed to reach. “Compound K5. Standard hostile environment intraplanet research facility layout. I've included the standard blueprints in your digital packets. Your goal is to reach building 107.” Fury brought up the generic blueprints, and circled the building they needed to reach. “Get Loki’s team inside, and he’ll take the lead from there.”

Tony glanced at Loki. His arms were crossed, leaning back against the wall. He looked very unconcerned as he studied the holograms above the console. He noted, as he stared for a moment, that the cut on his cheekbone was nearly invisible now. The grafting spray had done its work well.

“We have drop ships ready to deploy troops in the area the Captain specified. We have bunkers and supply depots in the air and ready to set down.” Fury informed. A video feed panning through the restlessly-awaiting troops played on the console. The numbers were endless, heavily armored and impressive. “We got ground troops and air support. We got Marines, Firebats, Goliaths, Siege Tanks and Banshees; you name it, we got it. These boys are gonna bunk down good and tight. We have four elite squadrons with orders to get the attention of the Swarm. Attack some hives and circle back to base. Draw ‘em away from the facility.”

“How are we doing on the aerial assault?” Steve asked. The Swarm had noticed the enemy presence above their occupied planet and had sent out Mutalisks and Brood Lords to attack their ships. The corrosive glaive wurm projectiles of the Mutalisks bouncing from target to target, moving swiftly through space. The Brood Lords, which looked like manta rays from hell, moved more slowly; but they could fire off broodlings (cat-sized, vicious parasites with teeth like a hellish hagfish, capable of eating through the hardest of armor) at long distances, and a broodling infestation meant certain destruction for the hardest of starships.

“Our Viking fleet is keeping them under control.” Fury answered. “We lost one dropship, but the monsters are being pushed back. We’re fine.”

Steve nodded and then turned back to his squad. “Alright, guys. It will likely take a few hours for Fury’s men to complete their task, but I need you in your suits and ready to go regardless. We get one shot at this. Once we get the all clear, we’re hitching a lift on a Quantradyne to the drop point.” Steve spun the layout of the compound around. “Our scouts tell us that the Swarm has large clusters of Spore Colonies surrounding the compound, so we won't be able to drop right in.” Spore Colonies were the Zerg’s version of organic turret towers. They were capable of detecting cloaked vehicles and operatives, and flung endless barrages of highly corrosive seeker spores at airships. It was too dangerous to utilize air support in areas with Spore Colonies. “We’re going to drop down outside, cut down Spore Colonies to clear a path for our air support, and slash our way through to the inner compound.”

He glanced at the Ghosts. “Loki’s team will ride in on Natasha’s Banshee until we’re within the compound. Once through, they will deploy, we will surround them in a bull ring, and we’ll punch through to the interior of building 107. While they get to work, we will focus on defense and securing the perimeter. After they have successfully retrieved the cache, we will go out the way we came. The cache’s survival will now be top priority. Our goal is to reach an extraction vehicle, and get a lift back to the Carrier. In and out.”

“How long do you expect the cache retrieval to take?” Tony asked Loki.

Loki glanced up at him, and looked thoughtful. “Once inside the facility storage room? 8-10 minutes max, I'd say.”

“We got Shredder mines for those Spore Colonies?” Rhodey spoke up. “It's the fastest way to clear those nasty fuckers out.”

“I made sure each of you had a cluster of them available to your suits.” Steve confirmed. “Any other questions?”

He was met with determined silence. Everyone seemed ready.

“Alright. Assemble in the primary hangar in 30. Suit up.”

“I'll give the order for my men to launch.” Fury confirmed, then dismissed them and headed away to the command area of the bridge. The group filed out through the door, heading for the hallway, and Tony looked for Loki. He had hesitated at the edge of the room, glancing out the window at the planet below.

Tony gazed at him for a moment, studying what he could see of his face. He seemed oddly calm, moreso than the others; and that was considering the fact that he had claimed to be having anxiety about this mission last night. Rather, he almost looked like he looked forward to this. So that was a straight up lie.

“You look confident.” Tony noted, strolling up to him. “And relaxed, for someone about to get thrown at the Zerg.”

Loki glanced back. “I am.”

“What's your secret? Mellow jazz?”

“You want the sappy answer?”

“I live for sap.” Tony thought for a moment. “Actually no, I hate sap. Makes my insides squirm. But continue.”

Loki smirked, pushing away from the wall. He headed in the direction of the door, but paused to get close to Tony’s ear. “You passed my hypothetical test. So hypothetically, I’d always feel confident as long as you've got my back.” He leaned in so close Tony felt his breath tickle his ear. “And you promised me you'd be there.”

Tony blinked in surprise as Loki planted a kiss on his cheek, and then he was gone.

—

 

_12 years ago_

 

It was pitch black outside, in the shadow of the apartment complex. The gentle breeze blew through the thin line of brush and grass that separated the complex grounds from the street.

Tony stood there in the grass, staring up at the building, eyes scanning, mind running complicated calculations. He had to get this perfect, or it would end in a really messy, glass-covered, getting-himself-arrested disaster at best. He didn't need another one of those nights.

He pulled down his stylish nightvision sunglasses, and glanced down at his wrist implant. System reports crawled along his arm, informing him of power percentages and system status. It was all greenlit.

“Alright, here goes nothing.” Tony muttered. He hit the engage button in his palm with his thumb, and shot into the air like a bottle rocket.

The air whipped past his face and the upper apartment complex came at him like a speeding train. He tried not to yell as the terrifying sensation of adrenaline and vertigo overcame him, and he realized the window was coming up too fast. He tried to hit the switch to slow his ascent but suddenly one of the rockets on his boot blew and he was shot tumbling out of control.

He collided with the wall of the building with a sickening crunch and a grunt. His sunglasses got knocked off his head and plummeted.

Then he felt himself falling and he grabbed at the wall, metal gloves scraping grooves in the cement as he desperately tried to get a handhold. His knee hit something jutting out from the wall, sending sharp pain up his leg. But he grabbed at it and finally stopped his fall with a jarring halt that felt like it ripped out his shoulders from his sockets.

“Aahh fuck.” Tony groaned, waiting for the stars to dissolve so he could look around.

He was now dangling from a balcony, very high up from the ground. His original target was at least three levels below him, and much further to the left than he was at the moment. He was in a slight predicament, considering he hadn't quite perfected the gentle descent program. If he fell now, he was done for.

Tony took a deep breath, calming his nerves, getting his head together. He tensed his abdomen and hauled himself and his heavy gear up onto the balcony with a grunt, over the railing. He turned and looked down, breathing heavily.

He spent a minute working out his path in his head, calculating how likely he was to die attempting this. The odds weren't in his favor, especially considering the bulky, metal boots and gloves he was wearing at the moment. But he couldn't ditch them; they might be his only chance at surviving if he did fall.

Finally, he was mentally ready. He took a breath and crawled back over the railing of the balcony, and slowly lowered himself into a dangling position once more. He looked down to make sure he was in the right spot, and then swung his body forward, letting go of the balcony.

He landed with a loud thump on the balcony just below the one he had left, and winced. He really everyone was deep asleep at this time of night, and didn't catch him parkouring outside their windows.

He swung himself down onto the third and final balcony, and then crouched on the railing of it. He gazed out across, noting the location of the target window. Each of the windows had a sill jutting out; hardly enough to fit half a foot on, but he could grab the upper portion of it for stability.

Tony stood up and grabbed the bar connecting the balcony above his head to the wall, and gingerly swung himself against the wall. He took a few rapid breaths, aiming, and then jumped.

The adrenaline surged through him as his foot landed on the windowsill and he quickly grabbed tight hold of the upper sill, holding him steady.

“Don't look down don't look down.” Tony chanted to himself, trying to get control of his nerves. His hands hurt from gripping the windowsill so tight but it was life or death. He glanced to the side, at the next window he had to reach. It wasn't close enough to reach out and take a step onto it. He would have to jump for it.

Tony held his breath, reared back and leapt. One foot slipped and he stumbled, but he caught himself just in time, grabbing onto the window.

“Oh god oh god why the fuck did I think this was a good idea.”

After a minute of courage-gathering, Tony leapt onto the next window, and the next. It was death-defying and he’d never felt so terrified in his life; but finally. _Finally_ he made it. Made it to that window with the purplish light bleeding out from it. He made it and he was alive and not on the ground in a million pieces. The relief flooded through his veins.

Tony crouched in the sill, arms above his head gripping the top of it, and looked in the window. His eyes took a moment to adjust, but soon he spotted his target. He rapped on the glass.

Loki fell out of his bed in fright, eyes bugged out, before sitting up on the floor staring up at Tony in the window in complete shock. He was wearing a T-shirt over a half-sleeve and fitted leisure pants, but his feet were bare.

Tony just waved at him, friendly grin on his face, and gestured to the window latch.

Loki blinked, eyes like loading circles, frozen in place for a very long minute until he finally shakily got to his feet, padded over to the window and tentatively released the latch.

Tony came tumbling into the room, landing on the floor in a heap.

“What the _fuck_ , Tony?!” Loki nearly screeched, hands flailing in the air.

Tony grinned up at him from the floor, working off his gloves. “Good evening, princess. I've come to save you from your tower.”

“What the _fuck_ are you talking about? How did you get _up_ here?”

“Oh, I've been playing around with Reaper boosters.” Tony sat up with a wince, his back kind of hurt. He tossed his metal gloves down and started working the boots off now. “Thought I'd give ‘em a little test run.”

“You really felt the need to risk your life to test your experiments?” Loki sounded flabbergasted as he went to shut the window again, securing the latch. “Isn't there a safer way of doing that?”

“Aw, he does care.” Tony grinned.

“No, I just don't wanna look out the window at a body-splatter pizza being pecked at by the city scavengers.”

Tony laughed and pulled off his second boot, pushing himself off the ground and onto his feet. His whole body ached with the various impacts he’d taken to get up here. He looked around at Loki’s room, the first time he’d been inside. “It's bigger than I thought it would be.” Tony noted. He glanced at Loki. “That's what she said.” He couldn't help adding with a smirk.

Loki rolled his eyes, and sat back down on the edge of his bed. “So are you going to tell me why you're breaking into my bedroom at 2am?”

“Well first of all, feel free to call me Santa.” Tony grinned as he pulled his backpack off. It was a sturdy, hard plastic, meant for taking impacts without collapsing, items inside secured tightly to keep from bouncing around. “Second of all, I come bearing a gift.” He unzipped the backpack, reached in, and pulled out a package, handing it over.

Loki blinked and took the package hesitantly. “I swear, Stark, if something pops out and yells at me-”

“Just open it.” Tony said, sitting down on the bed beside him, crossing his lower legs.

Loki sighed and went to unwrap the brown paper gingerly. Tony watched him as he peeled back the layers, and flipped it over.

His eyes lit up with surprise. There in his lap sat the Walkman he’d handed over to Tony weeks ago, looking shiny and new. “You… fixed it?” Loki’s voice hummed with disbelief. All irritation melted away.

“Gotta tell you, it was not easy. Felt like I was working with Protoss tech, it was so alien. But I found the problem in the circuitboard. She should work better than she did when these things were invented.” Tony handed him the cassette tape that Loki had lent him. “Pop it in, hear for yourself.”

Loki took the tape, popped open the Walkman with practiced ease, and slid it in. Tony plugged in the Frankensteined earbuds he wired together to work with the Walkman’s audio port, and stuck one bud in Loki's ear while he worked the machine, careful not to touch him while he did so.

Loki jolted when music starting playing through the earbud, and Tony watched with satisfaction as his face went from surprised to excited in a heartbeat, watched as a grin crossed his face. The cassette had been for an Old Earth band known as the Mötley Crüe, and it was their album Dr. Feelgood. That classic sound filled Loki’s ear, barely audible from where Tony was sitting.

He turned to Tony, surprising him with the look in his eyes. He saw a mixture of emotion in them; excitement, gratefulness, pure joy, and… something else he couldn't figure out.

“Thanks, Santa.” Loki’s grin was the brightest he’d ever seen.

Tony smiled back, “Anytime. It's Christmas all year for me.” He nodded at the device. “Peep the bottom.”

Loki glanced down at the Walkman, and noticed the engraving Tony had made on the plastic case with his fine laser engraver. ‘LOKI’, it read in simple, straight lines.

Loki had a warm smile on his face. “It's perfect, Tony.” He said softly. “Thank you.”

Tony felt an overwhelming surge of pride rush through him.

For a while, the pair of them chatted about the details in how Tony had gone about fixing it, leading to the man rambling about the inefficiencies in Old Earth tech and how silly it was. But he did admire the grittiness of it. Loki slid off the bed and fetched the rest of the cassette tapes in his possession, and sat on the floor unwrapping them from their storage cases while they chatted.

Tony couldn't help but poke around at all the little things Loki had in his room. The place was pretty immaculate, everything organized impeccably. But it was such a Loki room. He had reprinted Old Earth movie posters up on his walls, well-used sketchpads and notebooks in piles, rows of old books, and his shelves were lined with nostalgic artifacts. He even had an old-style, refurbished electric guitar in the corner. He wondered how many of these items Loki had stolen from the historical society, with a light smirk.

“Most of them.” He heard Loki say.

Tony turned and blinked at him. “What?”

Loki looked at him in surprise. “Oh, I thought I… nothing.” He blushed and looked back down at the cassette tape in his hands. “Wanna listen?”

Tony studied him for a long moment before smiling and nodding, heading back over to the bed.

The pair lay back on the bed, side-by-side, each with an earbud in one ear. The sounds of classic, Old School rock in all its messy, nostalgic glory filled their ears. Everything from the Mötley Crüe to AC/DC, songs that no one in the Koprulu Sector had ever heard before. It was exciting, it was satisfying. Tony found himself bobbing his head to Metallica. He glanced over to see Loki with his eyes closed, blissful look on his face, lazily strumming an imaginary guitar. He wondered if he actually knew how to play that relic in the corner of his room.

They lay there for hours, as the moonlight dipped away from the window, letting the music fill their ears, clicking in a new tape when the previous ended. Loki’s bed was cozy, and although they weren't really touching, Tony felt his warm presence beside him. It was all comfortable and domestic and he loved it.

Eventually Tony started feeling his eyes closing. He tried to fight it off, but the night was late and his body was drained from his earlier adventure. The music began to blend together, and his mind told him odd stories before it went blank.

 

Orange light drizzled in through Tony’s eyelids as he slowly came to. The silence filled his ears, and he rubbed his eye and sniffed, opening them and glancing around. Early morning sunlight streamed in through the window, igniting dust particles in a warm haze.

He remembered what he had been doing before he fell asleep, recognized the silence where there had been music. But he didn't remember falling asleep, and was feeling a bit of morning disorientation. He yawned and tried to stretch his arms, but realized he couldn't move one of them, and looked down.

He was shocked to see the sleeping form of Loki snuggled up close to him. His head resting on Tony’s arm like a pillow, body pressed up close to him. Eyes closed, snoring softly, hair messy and in his face. They both still had an earbud in, clearly both had fallen asleep listening to the music. He wondered if Loki had consciously snuggled up to him, or if he had done it in his sleep seeking warmth. His money was on the latter; Loki never intentionally touched him.

Tony gently brushed the hair out of Loki’s face, half smile forming. He looked so peaceful like this. He felt a sudden urge to kiss his eyes awake.

But he knew better. So instead, he gently maneuvered his arm out from under Loki’s head, slipping his pillow under it instead, and rolled off the bed. He stood up and gazed down at the sleeping form for a minute. Loki nuzzled the pillow a bit in his sleep, but showed no sign of waking. His face so innocent and carefree. Tony wished he could be like that forever.

“I'll get you there, one day.” Tony softly promised. And with that, he grabbed his gear, and headed silently out his bedroom door, exiting the apartment before the rest of Loki's family awoke, and was gone.


	6. We Interrupt Your Regular Broadcast For This Military Equipment Infomercial

“Ladies and gents, we are now boarding.”

Tony checked the motor functions on his suit again, flexing the fingers. The response time was as close to instantaneous as he’d managed to get it so far. Quicker than the rest of the suits in production by only a few nanoseconds, but it _mattered_. When fighting the Zerg, every nanosecond counted.

He considered rolling his designs out to the other engineers, to retrofit existing CMC Powered Combat Suits. But now wasn't the time for it. He knew they wouldn't be overly concerned with such small technicals and improvements compared to their concern for rapid mass production. Half the infantry portion of the army was made up of criminals; strapped into a suit and sent to the front line to serve their species rather than serve time in the already overflowing prison bases or face execution. They were cannon fodder. No one was overly concerned that these men weren’t provided with state of the art equipment.

Most of the criminals were provided with outdated CMC-300 or earlier models, as compared to the CMC-400s of the career marines, and the CMC-400As of the elite class marines. Each evolution of the CMC power armor brought more stability, more protection, faster hydraulics and motors, more features, and better firepower. The further along the model evolution tree your suit, the more deadly. The more likely you were to survive.

400As were fucking expensive, though. 980k credits, 10k more for the impact-resistant black paint. The government couldn't afford to roll them out to everyone, even if they gave enough of a shit to. Which they didn't.

The interior of Tony’s and other elite soldiers’ suits were fairly comfortable. Spacious, the inner bindings and motor controls fit perfectly to their bodies, and kinetic foam padded necessary areas. Lesser soldiers weren't so lucky. The bruises and friction burns he saw on their bodies from getting jostled around in there was evident enough.

Tony never really thought about what was better. Would the lesser marines be distracted by the discomfort, or grounded by it? He supposed it depended on the man.

Tony heard the hydraulic hissing of joints moving, the stomp of massive metallic boots on the ground. He turned in his suit to glance over as he saw Bruce in his enhanced CMC-405 Light Combat Suit. This line of suit was used for Medics, painted appropriately white with red medical crosses, and was built primarily with defense in mind. It had a massive shield that could expand out from one of the arms, decent armor plating, and a full range of medical serum injectors on the other arm.

  
[(Full Image)](https://i.ibb.co/2Zb4qVX/medic.png)

Most basic Medics were equipped with a C-7 Stinger gauss pistol for protection. But Tony had outfitted Bruce’s suit with the more extensive weaponry found in most Marine suits, including the highest caliber C-14 Impaler gauss rifle. He also designed the suit to be capable of transforming into full offense mode, a heavy armor state comparable to a Marauder but with massive hydraulic fists that could punch a Siege Tank off course. Called it the Hulk mode. Steve needed each individual on his team to be as dangerous as possible, and that meant even the Medic couldn't be a weak link.

“Hey, pal.” Tony greeted him. He glanced around to make sure they were alone. The others were filing into the dropship, and anyone else in the hangar was busy with their own activity. “You get anything on the facility?”

“I think so. I pulled a few strings with my contact.” Bruce said in a low voice. “I sent an encrypted packet to our secure server. Password ScienceBros78.”

Tony ran the server through his HUD. “Got it. Y’know we should probably come up with a less obvious password.”

“You think anyone would be able to guess Science Bros?”

“We literally have t-shirts, Brucey.”

“Oh yeah.”

“Right, well these blueprints are… hm.” Tony’s eyes flicked over the layout of the building. “Not exactly labeled ‘top secret research data room’.”

“Look at it layered with the generic hostile environment intraplanet research facility blueprint.”

Tony layered the files. “I’m not seeing what you- oh. Ohhhh. I see. They cut this one room in half. Secret room. I _love_ secret rooms.”

“It's not much to go off of, but I figure it's our best bet.” Bruce said.

“No, this is great.” Tony made the massive hand of his suit smack Bruce’s suit on the arm with a metal clang. “You did good, buddy.”

“Lets go, guys.” Came the voice of Steve over their squad comm line. “If you're not on board when we leave, I’ll be making you HALO jump from space.”

Tony smirked and the pair started walking their power suits over to the dropship.

The Quantradyne APOD-33 dropship was built for one singular purpose; transporting troops. It had heavy armor plating, and that was about it. No onboard weaponry for the sake of maximizing payload capacity, but soldiers could fire their own weapons from the lower platform. The ship was massive enough to carry two Siege Tanks onboard, or a number of infantry units. It sacrificed speed for flight strength and stability with its flexible twin hypergolic engines, so the dropship certainly wasn't about to win any races.

  
[(Full Image)](https://i.ibb.co/Lxt54N9/dropship.png)

Because the Quantradyne was slow and basically defenseless, it was usually escorted by a fleet of weaponized airships. In today’s case, the dropship occupied by Steve’s squad would be respectively protected by Natasha and Clint in their ships, and followed by a small fleet of Viking airships to protect it after it had dropped its cargo.

Natasha’s ship was an AH/G-24 Banshee Tactical-Strike Aircraft, a combat craft capable of multi-directional flight thanks to the adjustable twin VTOL turbofans that jut out from each side. The aircraft was equipped with a DN51 cloak generator that allowed the ship to become nearly invisible, and air-to-ground Shockwave missile batteries for surface bombardment. The turbofans were nearly silent, and allowed the vehicle to hover indefinitely. All of these components meant the Banshee was highly optimized for stealth hit-and-run tactical strikes and to provide air support for frontline infantry. It was exactly the eagle in the sky Steve needed to fortify his team.

  
[(Full Image)](https://i.ibb.co/6Hzz0qH/banshee.png)

Natasha’s Banshee never traveled anywhere without her best friend, though. Clint’s DF/A-19 Wraith was a starship also capable of invisible flight thanks to its own cloak generator. This ship was more effective against air units with its seeker missiles and finepoint targeting systems. It was capable of ground fire with its laser canons, but it's air-to-air missiles were far more devastating. It made an easy companion of the Banshee as a stealth duo; one to hit the ground, one to hit the sky.

   
[(Full Image)](https://i.ibb.co/KWm3Q7r/wraith.png)

Currently, all three ships sat in the Carrier’s hangar in a row, Natasha and Clint already in their respective cockpits at either side of the Quantradyne. The Vikings were hovering outside, ready to fall into formation once the dropship exited the hangar.

Tony moved his power suit up the ramp into the bay of the Quantradyne, Bruce at his back. Steve’s squad, each in their own power suits, stood lined up along the sides. Each of them with their own deadly weapons holstered on the backs of their suits.

“Thought I’d be handing you boys tardy slips.” Steve stood tall and imposing in his 400A armor. His suit had a special shield similar to that of a Medic’s, except his was far more massive and could detach from the suit’s forearm. The Captain typically threw it like a massive, deadly frisbee when they faced an overwhelming horde.

“Yeah, well. I have a doctor’s note.” Tony sniffed. “Annual checkup, you know.”

Steve glanced at Bruce, who made a mock glove-snapping motion with his power suit.

“Surprised you can walk straight.” Steve didn't skip a beat as he switched to comms. “Barton, Romanoff. You clear for takeoff?”

“Wraith awaiting launch orders.” Came Clint’s voice over the comm.

“Engines screaming.” Natasha’s voice crackled a bit.

“Check that connection, Romanoff.” Steve told her.

A slamming sound burst in their ears, and Natasha’s voice came back perfectly clear this time. “Holla back.”

“That's better. Your payload tucked in tight?” Steve asked her.

“Snug as a bug.”

“Patched in, Commander?”

“I’m reading you.” Came Loki’s posh voice. Tony felt an involuntary shiver go through him at the sound of it. “My team is set.”

“Alright. Listen up.” Steve’s voice was authoritative. “I received word that the Zerg have been responding to our surface tactics and have, as predicted, been draining out from the facility for the past four hours. Analyses on their movement says the flood has slowed down to a trickle in the past half hour. Command predicts we will reach minimal movement at the facility in 30 more minutes. We drop out in 20. Make your final systems checks. We lock down in 10. Confirm.”

A medley of ‘roger that’ erupted over the comm. This wasn't any of their first rodeo. They were ready. They were thirsty for Zerg blood.

Tony walked his suit over to Thor. The man’s 5-4 Armored Infantry Marauder Suit was shiny and new; complete with the black impact-resistance paint. The thing was massive; as close to a tank that a vague resemblance to the human form could be. Marauder suits were heavily armored, and were equipped with a pair of Quad K12 grenade launchers, one attached to each arm. Those monsters could devastate groups of ground units with heavy bombardment, and crack through the carapaces of the more heavy Zerg units, leaving them vulnerable to regular firepower. Thor’s particular suit also had an experimental targeting electrical arc battery emitter known as the XRE-98 Thundershot that could send thousands of volts into its target; too unstable and dangerous to hand out to just anyone, but effective in Thor’s practiced hands.  
  
[(Full Image)](https://i.ibb.co/L8XQvRx/marauder.png)

“How’s the new suit?” Tony asked him.

“The foam has yet to conform to my body.” Thor winced. “But the hydraulics are smoother than my last.”

“Yeah well, if you’d just stop spilling hot sauce in it, maybe it’ll stay that way.” Tony looked over the suit with the eye of an engineer. “Get a chance to test out the Thundershots?”

“I have, they seem a bit more… unstable, compared to the last suit. I have struggled to achieve the precision I was capable of before during target practice.”

“Hm, I'll take a look at it when we get back. Wiring probably needs to be rerouted.”

“I would trust no other engineer more with such a task.” Thor smiled.

“Bet you say that to all the girls.”

Thor laughed.

10 minutes went by in chatter. Then the ramps came up, and the lights went red. The dropship was in lockdown, readying for liftoff. Everyone went quiet, getting into the game mode mentality. Even Tony shut his trap.

10 more minutes went by in silence. Just the sound of the dropship’s engines whirring loudly. The countdown on their HUDs stopped. Steve’s voice came over the comms.

“Its go time.”

“Strap yourselves in, boys.” Came the female voice of the pilot of the dropship, followed by the pop of bubblegum.

The massive doors of the hangar slid open, and the three ships rolled forward into the silent vacuum of space.

 

“Banelings on my tail and my boosters are recharging, need backup!” Sam shouted over the comms.

“Oh _fuck_ , a whole cluster of Hydralisks just burst out of the ground!” Came Bruce’s panicked voice.

“Got Overlords drifting in sight, need someone to take ‘em out before they alert their buddies to my position.” Natasha sounded unnaturally calm.

“I can't get in firing range without alerting their Hydralisk escort.” Clint informed.

“Thor and I got you, Bruce.” Steve responded. “Tony, Rhodey; cover Sam and Nat.”

Tony felt the sweat drip down his forehead. He had his back against a rock formation, ducked down while he reloaded his Impaler rifle. Rhodey bunked down beside him, catching his breath.

“Which side you taking?” Rhodey asked.

“I'll cover Nat. You take out the Banelings.” Tony answered. “Better hurry before Sam has a PTSD attack.”

“Roger that.” Rhodey dashed out from behind the rock formation and ran in Sam’s direction, massive metal boots kicking up the black, volcanic dirt. His 400A power suit had a pair of M1505 automatic miniguns attached at the shoulders; good for cutting down clustered packs. If nothing else, he could easily trigger the Banelings to rupture at a safe distance.

Tony jumped on top of the rock formation and scanned the red sky for Overlords. The slow-hovering creatures looked like massive, grotesque fleas with their bulbous bodies and long legs. The things could carry Zerg troops inside their bodies like the Terran dropships, and could detect cloaked ships and operatives. Not exactly conducive to stealth air support.

  
[(Full Image)](https://i.ibb.co/2Y4fK9h/overlord.png)

Tony could see where Natasha’s cloaked Banshee was in the sky thanks to the simulated position being securely patched through to his HUD. The airship was hovering just outside the sightline of a fleet of three Overlords.

Directly under the Overlords slithered a small pack of five Hydralisks. Their loose maws and secondary mandibles lined with rows and rows of daggerlike teeth dripped with saliva, their massive crowns swinging back and forth as they scanned the area with those beady eyes.

“Clint, if I draw those Hydralisks away, you good to hit those Overlords?” Tony asked over the comms.

“Missiles ready.” Clint confirmed.

“Copy.” Tony entered a command in his HUD with the eye tracker. Suddenly, loud music burst from his suit speakers. The hard guitar of L800ETC’s song _[Terran Up The Night](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc0eseagl0k)_ blared out into the field, catching the attention of the Hydralisks. Tony raised both his arms wide in a taunting victory stance.

The Hydralisks hissed loudly and turned in Tony’s direction, slithering towards him on their massive legless bodies, scythe-tipped arms raised threateningly, body language seething with their endocrine response. They reared up, the flaps raising on their cranial carapaces, projectile spines rigid and prepared to launch.

The spines shot out in a barrage at lightning speed, but Tony was faster with anticipation. He hit his boosters and shot up into the air moments before the spines impaled the space he had just occupied. Landing on the ground in a burst of volcanic ash, kicking his feet up in a run. The Hydralisks, frustrated and angry, chased after him.

Tony led them away from the Overlords, dodging their attacks with his boosters. Once they were well away, Tony heard the high-pitched screech of missiles in the air, an organic burst of guts and the pained shrieking of the Overlords as they were shot out of the sky.

Natasha was safe, but Tony still had Hydralisks to deal with. One spine clipped his arm, gauging the metal, and he cursed as he leapt away.

“Alright, I mighta let you off easy, but then you went and scratched my baby.” Tony addressed the monsters, fully aware that they had no idea what he was saying and probably couldn't even hear him anyway. “So it looks like I'm gonna have to fuck you up.”

Tony stopped and skid across the ground before making a sharp turn and heading for a tight canyon. A volley of spines shot into the area he just occupied, but the Hydralisks turned on a dime and continued in their pursuit, slowly gaining. Tony lead them deeper into the canyon, metal feet stomping against the rocky ground.

Suddenly, he boost-jumped forward and spun in midair, turning to face the monsters. They were head-to-tail, the canyon too thin for any of them to slither aside another. “Ducks in a row!” He aimed his rifle and fired, getting pushed backwards with the force of it.

The shot tore through the air, and ripped straight through the open mouths and skulls of all five Hydralisks, sending a massive spray of blood out with the shockwave. The bodies of the Zerg creatures fell back on themselves, dead, oozing brains and blood.

Tony stood and gazed at the mess, admiring his own handiwork. Then he activated the comm. “Clear down here.”

Steve responded, “Clear up here too. Everyone regroup at the maw of the clearing. We’re ready to blow up some Spore Colonies.”

 

Spore Colonies were towers of flesh, spines and tendril organs. The bulbous mass at the top where the corrosive spores were shot out of looked like a big, orange… well, frankly it looks like an anus. There were a lot of childish jokes about the things among the Marine Corps.

“These things are gonna fuck you right in your big asshole, ya giant motherfucker.” Rhodey said as he loaded the Shredder mines into his mine launcher. Case in point.

“Hemorrhoid mines loaded.” Tony smirked, glancing up at the organ structure towering above him. “Prepare for some rectal hemorrhaging.”

Steve sighed. “You know this is all more insulting to the people who have actually been killed by these things, right?”

“Frankly, I'd be okay with ‘alien asshole projectile diarrhea’ as my cause of death on the tombstone.” Tony said.

“I thought that was your middle name. Might get a bit repetitive to put it twice.”

“Right so, I'm gonna… go ahead and blow this thing up.” Rhodey clicked the loader on his launcher. “If that's okay.”

Steve nodded, loading his own launcher. “Lets do this.”

The next ensuing minutes were filled with massive, squishy explosions, the sound of tearing flesh and guts splattering to the ground, and the awful smell of corrosive bile and steaming innards. No one was safe from that bursting wave of hot blood. Tony grimaced as a bunch of it splattered against the eye windows of his faceplate. He hit the ‘window-washer mode’ and a small stream of liquid sprayed over his eye windows, clearing them of blood. He glanced over at Rhodey, who was drenched in it. Some kind of intestine-like shred of organ slid slowly down the man’s helmet window. He had a disgusted look on his face.

“Shoulda packed my umbrella.” Rhodey said with a groan.

“Spore Colonies eliminated.” Steve said through the comm. “Clear for air support and Ghost drop.”

“Copy that.” Said Natasha. Tony watched the projections of the two cloaked ships in his HUD as they moved swiftly through the sky in their direction. When the Banshee hovered overhead, Tony felt his ears pop from the pressure change that the vortexes from the massive turbofans created.

“Steady for drop, Commander.” Said Natasha when she had stabilized her ship.

“Dropping now.” Came Loki’s voice.

Moments later, four figures appeared from the side door of the Banshee, and four lines dropped down. The dark figures rappelled down quickly, landing on their feet in a kick of black dust.

The only reason Tony knew which one was Loki was because of the green lights as compared to the blue of the others. All of the Ghosts had the same dark, fitted skinsuits with light armor plating on the chest and shoulders, gauntlets and knee-high boots. The hostile environment suits, though tightly fitted, were self-contained, pressurized and had a sealed microclimate like the massive power suits; allowing them to move in any kind of atmosphere, including space. They all wore fully covering head masks with a compact breathing filter on the mouthpiece and visor, altogether obscuring their faces completely. The circular lenses on the visors gave them a bit of creepy, owl-like, emotionless affect. They all wore hooded, gray cloaks, which put their masked faces in a shadow and caused the glow of the visors to stand out. They were an eerie, unsettling sight as they walked silently towards the group, cloaks flapping in the wind.

Each of the Ghosts was outfitted with an elite C-20A canister rifle; a multi-purpose weapon capable of serving as a gauss assault rifle, a grenade launcher, and, when fitted with a scope, a sniper rifle. As far as ranking differences went, your average Ghost was usually supplied with the lesser C-10 canister rifle; but all Ghost hostile environment suits, regardless of rank, were equipped with a personal cloaking device. This allowed them complete invisibility for long periods of time as long as an enemy detector was not present.

It was something known to all in the Terran military; of all the devastating equipment available to a Terran arsenal, nothing induced anxiety in the personnel like a suited Ghost.

  
[(Full Image)](https://i.ibb.co/ZYD6Xs4/Loki.png)

“Brother! You look absolutely terrifying!” Thor’s voice was overjoyed and filled with pride.

Wanda’s laugh came through the comm. “That is the first time I have heard that sentiment as a compliment.”

“Alright, form up everyone. Let's make this quick.” Steve ordered. His squad quickly moved to form a ring around the group of four Ghosts. Tony aligned himself adjacent to Loki, holding his massive rifle in the arms of his power armor protectively.

The group trudged through the rocky dirt, heading deeper into the clearing. The compound was visible from within it's crater as they descended, and it was easy to see any Zerg stragglers that weren't burrowed. Anyone who had a shot at a Zergling or Hydralisk took it. The cloaked ships hovered above them; Clint shooting down Overlords and Brood Lords before they had a chance to throw down any Broodlings at the infantry, and Natasha firing a barrage of missiles down at any Zerg clusters that came into range. The Ghosts heaved their rifles up to fire long shots from between their escort, picking off distant Zerg. It was a wonder they even saw some of those things.

The compound grounds were a mess. Half-absorbed Zerg carcasses, wrecked Marine armor with shattered glass and torn limbs covered in dried blood with half-eaten Terran carcasses inside, ripped-open Siege Tanks and crashed Wraiths, a Goliath lay gutted where it fell. Decayed and dried-up gore strewn about, half-chewed bones and bubbling bile. It was a warzone lost. A museum of tragedy.

“Building 107 in sight.” Came Sam. He tagged it on his HUD so everyone could see it. “I see a few Zergling clusters, but that's about it.”

“Your boosters recharged?” Steve asked.

“Yup, full capacity.”

“Alright. Boost yourself up to the rooftops and scout ahead for us. Hit anything you see.”

“Death from above.” Sam grinned and tore away from the pack, his thrusters allowing his suit to speed forward. When he reached the closest building, his boost pack erupted and he scaled the wall with ease, landing neatly on the roof. He jumped forward and closed the gap between it and the next rooftop.

They lost sight of him the deeper he went, but they heard the occasional sharp blast of a deuterium-eight charge hitting the ground, the shrieks of dying Zerglings filling the air.

“I've mapped the quickest route to the cache room once inside the building.” Loki said. “Sending it to your HUDs.”

“Good. We’re likely to encounter Zerg inside, especially considering that building contained the Khaydarin crystals; but we’ll do our best to stick to your path.” Steve said.

After slaughtering a few leftover groups of Zerglings, the squad reached building 107. It was a horrific mess. Massive, throbbing tentacles of Zerg infestation squeezing through cracks in the walls and tendriled to the base of it. The ground was covered in thick, slimy Creep; a strain of Zerg superorganism that the Swarm covered their bases with. It was a viscous cellular mat, used to nourish Zerg structures and Larvae via processed minerals collected from the terrain through its deep tendrils. The monsters could only grow structures upon the Creep, and so it needed to be spread by Creep Tumors, Hatcheries or Overlords to expand their bases. The Creep was covered in microscopic filaments that allowed Zerg units to skate over it, increasing their speed while on the Creep.

Creep could be considered a superorganism itself, wherein the Zerg structures would be its organs. It spread so fast and so deep that if it was left unchecked, it could easily overcome entire worlds. And the only way to get rid of it was to burn it out down to the roots, like a wart from hell.

Tony scrunched his nose as he felt his boots sink into the squishy, purple material. “This shit’s so nasty.”

“Fascinating, though.” Bruce said. He never really tried to hide his interest in the biology of the Zerg. Tony couldn't really blame him. If the creatures didn't threaten all life in the Koprulu Sector, he’d probably be just as interested.

Insect-like, psionically-connected organisms that could mutate at a whim, essentially made of a cancer that made them stronger rather than killing them. Their rapid, constant evolution meant new strains appeared all the time, and each individual Zerg could not die of old age. Due to the fact that individual Zerg were purely instinctual and they all seemed to obey some form of higher order, it was theorized that either the Zerg Swarm functioned as an intelligent superorganism together, or some form of higher intelligence controlled overall Zerg movement.

Neither theory has been proven, but scientists like Bruce studied whatever they could collect to learn more about the aliens, hoping to discover something the Terrans could use against them. That was a high feat, though; considering that whenever they came up with new weapons and techniques to use, the Swarm evolved to overcome the new challenge. It was like fighting antibiotic-resistant bacteria. A never-ending race to discover new treatments that only worked until the bacteria evolved resistance.

  
[(Full Image)](https://i.ibb.co/L8Hr81J/infested-building.png)

Sam leaped down from atop the roof, landing beside Steve, who was analyzing the building. This entryway wasn't wrapped in Zerg infestation tendrils, but the door was sealed shut.

“Not getting any readings from the interior.” Sam informed. “The walls are shielded.”

“Going in blind, then.” Steve sighed. “Alright. Sam, take care of this door. Everyone else, stand back and prepare for trouble. It's more than likely that a horde is waiting behind that wall.”

The squad backed well away while Sam stuck Cerberus mines around the door. A line of them, more than enough to breach the thick walls of the facility. Then he set the charge and boost-jumped backwards to the position of the rest of the squad. Steve and Bruce stood up front, shields expanded ahead of them to block debris and any potential Zerg fire from the group. Tony cocked his gun and stood near Loki, who he noticed glancing up at him from the corner of his eye. Impossible to read a face covered by a mask; but he felt an odd, alien feeling of amusement emanating from outside himself.

The charges beeped, the lights turned red, and the wall exploded in a burst of hellfire. The ground rumbled with the force of it, and bits of wall blew out in all directions. Smaller fragments of it rained down over their heads, the brunt of it absorbed by the pair with shields, but Tony heard some tiny pings as pieces of metal bounced off his headpiece.

The dust and smoke billowed out of the new opening, and all tensed with preparedness to meet the Zerg.

But as the minutes went by, nothing happened. No sign of movement.

“I'm not detecting any heat signatures.” Bruce informed, voice surprised. “No movement. I think we’re clear.”

Everyone relaxed their stances.

“Alright, let's move.” Steve said, starting his power suit forward. “Sam and Thor up front with me, Ghosts stick behind us, Tony, Bruce and Rhodey take up the rear. Clint, Nat, keep a lookout from the sky and let us know of any changes.”

The group fell into formation and filed in through the destroyed door, the wall scorched and blackened from the blast, dust and smoke still drifting in the air. Their boots crunched on the metal and cement wall fragments that covered the ground.

The facility was dark within, the power out in the entire compound. Everyone turned on their external spotlights except the Ghosts, who Tony assumed had night vision modes in their visors. Tony kinda woulda rathered leave the lights out.

Every surface was crawling with ribbed tendrils and mats of pulsating flesh. Greenish liquid dripped from cracks and vents and oozed down the walls. Their atmospheric tasters read that the air was thick and humid, and the smell of rot and bile curled through their vents.

Eerily, it was silent. Nothing but the sounds of liquid dripping in this dead yet alive environment. Tony felt something prickling in the back of his mind, as he glanced at the backs of the Ghosts walking in front of him. It made his hair stand on end.

“I have a bad feeling about this.” Came Stephen’s voice.

“I do as well.” Vision’s voice had an edge to it.

“Something is wrong.” Loki said.

“What, other than walking into the belly of a Zerg infestation?” Rhodey swallowed.

“I… oh gods.” Wanda put her hands to her head. “Do you _hear_ that?” She cried out to her teammates.

“What is it? What's wrong?” Steve stopped and turned to look at the Ghosts. They all had a hand to their temples. Based on their body language, Tony had a feeling that if their faces were visible, they would be contorted in pain.

Loki suddenly looked up, and shouted. “Watch out!”

A spray of corrosive bile shot through the air, hitting Bruce and the wall behind him with a splat and a hiss. “Argh!” Came Bruce’s disgusted shout.

They all whipped around in the direction it had come from, and out of the darkness erupted the most horrifying scream Tony had ever heard in his life. And what followed… there were no nightmares, no twisted dreams the human subconscious could concoct that was enough to prepare the mind for it.

“ _Live for the Swarm!_ ”

A swarm of monsters came tearing down the hallway, illuminated by the spotlights. Twisted, distorted, mockeries of the human form, like someone had taken a yet-soft clay sculpture of a person and twisted and mashed it until it was unrecognizable. The masses of flesh and muscular tissue, the pieces of carapaces, tendrils wrapping, spines jutting out. Teeth and eyes where they didn't belong, hooked claws, scythes and extra limbs. If the Zerg were spawn of hell, these were the tortured souls they dragged down to their realm.

   
[(Full Image)](https://scontent-atl3-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/fb0287957391adb71a40f6893214a9cb/5D953583/t51.2885-15/fr/e15/p1080x1080/32006569_202417840567939_6727118915362619392_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-1.cdninstagram.com)

“Gods… infested _Terrans_.” Loki breathed.

Steve didn't have to say anything. Everyone sprung into action. Weapons up, bayonets out, they quickly formed a semi-circle around the Ghosts. The first infested Terran, jaw hanging open and dangling, full of rows of sharp teeth, leaped at the front line. It landed on Steve’s bayonet, which sliced straight through the torso. It landed on the ground in a heap, but it's friends weren't far behind.

Thor fired grenades off, and they exploded in the horde with a fleshy burst, sending blood and organs spraying out. But they were surrounded, now. The hellish creatures came spilling from all hallways, and everyone shouted as they fired off round after round into the flesh of the infested. The monsters shrieked and climbed over the bodies of the fallen without missing a beat, hyperfocused on their enemies. Bruce and Steve both had their shields out to protect their comrades best they could, but clawed hands made it through and scratched at them with an awful, metal screech.

The sound of gunfire and explosions filled the air, the sound of dying infested and their battle screams. They didn't stop coming. Tony felt himself being pushed back, his team clustering in tighter. This was bad.

An infested Terran leapt off the backs of a pile of hissing bodies and landed on its twisted feet in the center of the circle, right where the Ghosts were huddled. Tony shouted a warning and turned to help, letting the piling beasts claw at his back.

The Ghosts had their rifles drawn. But Loki was faster. The man had ripped a pair of hilts from his belt, which expanded out into what appeared to be a pair of some sort of green glowing daggers. He dodged the pincer shot of the hissing, slobbering infested, rolled with it and shot up to slice the creature’s head clean off in one fluid motion.

Tony stared for a long moment as the body of the creature toppled, blood shooting out of the sliced throat, before Loki caught his gaze. “Behind you!” The man shouted.

Before Tony had a chance to turn his power suit, he felt something launch into his back, and he was bowled over. He landed on his front, and all that was in his vision was the debris-covered floor and expanding pool of blood swirling with green bile.

An infested tore at the back of his suit, shrieking as it did so. Loki launched himself forward, feet landing on the head of Tony’s suit and springing upward again, landing a powerful kick into the torso of the beast. Tony pushed himself up from the ground and twisted in a swift motion, pulling up his gun and shooting the downed beast in the skull.

Loki stood beside him, energy daggers blazing. “There's too many.” He said calmly. “And not enough space.”

“Thor!” Tony shouted. “Could use a little lightning!”

Thor was waist-deep in Zerg guts, suit dripping with bloody innards. “I cannot in these close quarters!” He shouted back. “They are not stable enough, I may hit the rest of you as well!”

“I have an idea.” Loki said, taking something that looked like a mine from his belt. “I can set off a lockdown mine to create an anti-energy burst around us that will repel the electrical arc. It will only last a few seconds, so we must time this perfectly.”

“Won't that put our suits into lockdown?” Sam shouted.

“Only for a few moments. My team can handle any stragglers.”

“Do it!” Steve shouted over the sound of gunfire in his ear.

Thor nodded and switched over to his Thundershot batteries, and began powering them up. “On your signal, brother!”

Loki set the mine down in the center of their circle, and aimed his gun at it. “Aim.”

Thor pointed his Thundershots into the air above their heads, one in each direction, towards the mass of the horde swarming all around them.

“Fire!”

The electricity leapt from Thor’s arms with a blinding light, striking out into the air. At that same moment, Loki shot a round into the mine, and the thing exploded with a burst of anti-energy. The field blew out in a bubble around them, sending everyone staggering. The lightning arced over and around the bubble, reaching out and leaping onto everything conductive it could reach.

The infested were blown backwards, and the electricity pounced onto them like a hungry panther. Instantly burning their flesh, the creatures screamed as their muscles spasmed and their neurological systems were shocked and overloaded.

Tony was sent sprawling onto his back, and all he could see was flashes of light and energy crackling in the air. His suit was temporarily paralyzed, HUD gone dark, system rebooting. He breathed heavily, fogging up his glass as the atmospheric generator was down. The weight of the suit was impossibly heavy, and the metal creaked under itself. He saw a flash of movement past his visor, and glanced up to see Loki standing atop Tony’s suit, firing off his rifle. If he was saying anything, Tony wouldn't hear it until comms were restored.

“C’mon, c’mon!” Tony yelled at his suit. He was starting to feel claustrophobic. He felt that panic rising in his chest. The weight, the restriction, the fear that at any second one of those horrific creatures could come up and rip him out of his suit and he wouldn't be able to do anything to stop it.

Suddenly he heard the whirring of the reboot, and his HUD flickered back on. Felt the joints take the weight of the suit again, the atmosphere filling up and cooling his sweaty skin. Loki glanced down at him and then leapt down from his suit to allow him to get up. Tony quickly pressed the suit arms into the ground and pushed himself up onto his feet, grabbing his rifle from the ground and looking around, instantly alert.

The scene was horrific. Piles upon piles of twisted, smoking, burnt corpses. Steaming blood and bile spilled through it all, viscera and mats of membrane tissue and foaming fat floating near the surface, making the entire area look like they were wading in a pot of burning stew. Tony held back his gag reflex at that thought.

The Ghosts were sloshing through the mess, hopping up on more solid corpses to navigate through it. Stephen fired his gun into the skull of a twitching body, but otherwise everything seemed dead.

Those in power suits were slowly coming back online, struggling to their feet. Everyone was drenched in gore, their suits covered in surface scratches, dents and scuffs. Everyone was going to need a new paint job after this.

“Everyone, report your status.” Steve said breathlessly.

“I think I’m taken, but it's a little complicated.” Tony responded.

“Is it?” Loki asked.

“I mean, we never really confir-”

“Your _suit_ status, smarty.” Steve sounded annoyed.

“Online and functioning, far as I can tell.” Tony said more seriously.

“Good over here.” Sam said. “Gotta run diagnostics on my boosters though.”

“I'm fine. Outer layer of my suit corroded a bit but I patched it.” Bruce said. “No leaks.”

“My Thundershots overloaded, but I am intact.” Thor informed.

“All good here.” Came Rhodey.

“What the hell were those things?” Bruce breathed. “I've never seen anything like that before.”

“They were the scientists that worked here.” Vision answered, wading towards them, glancing down at the twisted bodies below his feet. “I picked up a few fragments of memories from their minds. I… think I saw what they went through.” He sounded disturbed.

Wanda placed a hand comfortingly on his shoulder.

“There was still something left of them in there.” Loki said softly. “A small part, trapped in the backseat while their bodies were mangled and twisted around them. They could feel it all but could not control themselves. You cannot imagine the pain…” He glanced up at Tony. “I heard them, begging me to kill them. Begging for release.”

Tony frowned worriedly at him. That brought flashbacks to his mind. He knew that Loki empathized with that sentiment more than anyone could understand. Being trapped in the body of a monster. Feeling like there was only one way out.

“That's… god.” Bruce was at a loss for words. “I can't even imagine…”

“Get whatever bioscans you can on them, Bruce.” Steve told him. “If this is something new, SHIELD will need to know all they can about them so we can develop methods of dealing with them.”

“Yeah, way ahead of you.” Bruce confirmed. “System’s been analyzing them from the start. Just need to grab a flesh sample and I'm set.”

“Good. We need to get a move on. I received a report that the Swarm has caught on, and is starting to double back.” Steve informed. “The army boys are trying to slow them down best they can, but the clock is ticking now.”

The squad formed back up, resuming their earlier positions, and started back down the hallway; quite a bit more cautious and tense this time. The carcasses crunched under the feet of the large power suits; a sickening bone-snapping sound that made them all grit their teeth.

As Tony stomped along behind Loki, he glanced down at the sheathed hilts on his belt.

“What were those things anyway? Some kind of energy blade?” Tony asked him in a direct comm line that only the pair of them could hear.

“Monomolecular blades.” Loki responded. “Only one molecule thick at the edge, can cut through everything from armor to energy shields. They're honed by psionic force, so really only Ghosts can use them.”

Tony whistled, impressed. “I've never seen anyone use anything like that.”

“They are experimental and one of a kind. I'm actually piloting the prototype itself.”

“Are you gonna have to kill me now that I'm privy to this information?”

“It's on a need-to-know basis. I've decided you need to know.”

Tony laughed. “Can you do that?”

Loki was silent for a long moment, and the smile slowly disappeared from Tony’s face. “Not with most things.” Loki finally responded, quietly.

Tony didn't have to ask what he meant.

“Coming up on the cache room.” Steve reported.

Loki turned his attention back to the task at hand. “Copy. I need the room cleared and a perimeter set.”

“Thor, Sam; scout ahead and clear the cache room.” Steve ordered. “I'll escort the Commander and his team. The rest of you, split up and scout the perimeter.”

“Roger that.”

 

Tony couldn't lie and say he wouldn't rather be in that cache room watching Loki work than picking his way through tangles of pulsating tendrils in a dark hallway that could be hiding another horde of infested Terrans. He desperately wanted to know why it had to be Ghosts who pulled the cache, why none of the rest of them could do it. But he had to reach that room while he still could. The secret room on the map. This was his only chance. This was his priority.

“Coming up on our left.” Bruce said through their secure, encrypted comm link. “Do you think Rhodey is okay without us?”

“Oh yeah, he's fine.” Tony waved away his concern. “Gotta make this quick, though. Wouldn't doubt he’d already suspicious.”

They stepped into the room on the map that was attached to the secret room. It appeared to have been some kind of specimen analyzing room, with massive scanners and processors; now destroyed and filled with purple and green goo. The wall that supposedly connected to the secret room, however, was completely sealed and covered in dead screens.

“I'm really upset about the whole ‘no power’ thing.” Tony sighed. “I really love secret doors.”

“Yeah, well, I'll run an escape room sim for you later.” Bruce said. “We’re gonna have to cut through this wall.”

“Seems like the perfect time to try out these concentrated incendiary mines I designed.”

“So long as they're quiet.”

Tony set to work setting the tiny mines in a wide circle around the wall. Then he stood back next to Bruce, just in case they didn't work quite like he intended, and hit the activation key.

All of the mines started glowing red hot, and the walls beneath the teeth of the mines started glowing as well. The metal turned orange, then yellow, and molten bits dripped down. Smoke blew up from the burning holes, and the sound of hissing metal filled the air.

“Captain, you copy?”

Tony and Bruce both jumped with surprise at the sound of Clint’s voice.

“Roger, what's your status?” Came Steve’s response.

“I've got the Swarm cresting the hills in sight. They'll be here soon.”

“Damn.” Steve swore. “How much more time, Commander?”

“About 4 minutes.” Came Loki’s calm voice.

“Rhodey, Tony, Bruce; get down here. We’re gonna need to concentrate our fire.”

“Copy that.” Rhodey confirmed.

“Be there in a minute.” Tony said.

“Uh, yeah, me too.” Bruce cleared his throat.

Tony switched back to the private comm. “Alright we’re out of time. This room better have what we’re looking for.”

“I don't even know what we’re looking for.”

“Me neither, but that never stopped me.” Tony pulled up the leg of his power suit and sent it hard into the wall. The section that had been burned by the mines came off with a crash, dust billowing up around it. Tony and Bruce stepped through the hole, spotlights shining.

The room was full of database archives. Dead, of course, from the lack of power. Tony gazed at the rows and rows of storage units. God he wished he had a wagon. This was a goldmine.

“Damn. What the hell do we do with all this?” Bruce stared.

“Hook it up to my arc reactor and download what we can fit on the drive.” Tony was busy pulling out wires from his frontal plate; wires attached to his chest implant.

“How will we know which unit to download from?”

“Does it matter? All of this is classified. No other reason to keep it on an isolated database in a secret room. A single kilobyte from any of these babies is more top secret information than either of us has seen in our lives, I guarantee it.”

“Watch it just be the site manager’s secret collection of gay dungeon porn.” Bruce sighed.

“Well, hey. We win either way.” Tony grinned as he plugged the other end of the wire to one of the data storage units.

The unit burst to life, lighting up bright blue and whirring. Bruce pulled a drive from one of his suit compartments and plugged it into the slot.

“This is gonna take a minute, even with the high-speed datamining boost you programmed.” Bruce told him.

“Tony, Bruce. Where the hell are you?” Steve demanded.

“On our way, Cap.” Tony lied.

“Rhodey’s back already, how far did you go?”

Tony glanced at the drive. The bar that indicated the space left on the drive was shrinking rapidly. “Like I said, be there in a minute.”

“You said that a minute ago.”

“Yeah well, I had to change my shirt.”

“Bruce?”

“Uh yeah, I met up with Tony on my way back.” He was such a terrible liar. Tony really had to stop dragging him into things like this. “We uh… had to burn through some tendril mats.”

“Just _get here_.”

The drive beeped, indicating that it was full. Bruce pulled it out of the socket and stored it in his suit, and Tony ripped the wires from his own suit.

“Alright go!” Tony said, turning and starting to run back out of the hole in the wall, Bruce in hot pursuit.

They ran through the dark halls, hydraulics hissing, not bothering to check for danger beyond checking their HUDs for heat signatures. Caution wouldn't help them now.

Tony skid to a stop at the doorway of the cache room, just in time to watch the crystals rising from a rectangular hole in the center of the room. They glowed bright, and bathed the room in an eerie blue. Tony felt a shiver run up his spine as he stared at them, a strange tingling feeling in the back of his mind. Whispers ghosting past his ears.

He made a mental note to check his comm system for audio glitches later.

Loki stood at the front of the cache, hand on a glowing lever. Stephen stood at the other side, hand on another lever. It was just like their game of laser tag, Tony realized.

“Khaydarin means ‘focuser of the heart’ in the Protoss Khalani language.” Loki said softly as he gazed at the crystals. The reverence in his voice reminded Tony of Loki’s obsession with Old Earth culture. He had a hope in his heart that his interest wasn't gone after all; just replaced by an interest in a completely different culture. “An apt name, for something that so readily channels psionic energy… the very soul of a Protoss.” The cache stopped as it hit the top of the line, and Tony glanced over at Vision who was unfolding a hover crate. “The Protoss believe these crystals are relics left to them by their gods; the Xel’naga. They say they hold secrets that the Xel’naga whispered at the dawn of the universe.”

Tony wondered if all of that applied to Ghosts as well. Could they hear the psionic whispers from the crystals? Connect to them, talk to them? Learn their secrets? The idea of listening to the voice of an ancient, higher being sent a chill up his spine.

“I didn't realize we knew that much about the Protoss.” Tony said.

“Yeah, well, you didn't exactly pay attention in cultural analyses class.” Rhodey pointed out.

“I didn't ask to be sat next to the hottest chick in school.”

“I'm pretty sure you literally asked for that.”

Wanda and Vision stepped over to the cache and started picking up the Khaydarin crystals, stowing them inside the levitating crate at their sides. Stephen and Loki kept their positions; Tony assumed the system would lock back up if they let go of the levers.

“Need a hand with the emitters.” Wanda said. Steve nodded at Thor, who headed over and reached inside the cache to grab hold of the machine. They were currently collapsed and compacted into storable shapes, but they were still extremely heavy. Tony could hear the hydraulics of Thor’s suit strain under the weight, and the antigrav thrusters on the crate complained as they readjusted to compensate.

“We’re out of time, boss.” Came Natasha’s voice. The sound of missiles bursting shook the facility.

“They have no doubt sensed the Khaydarin crystals.” Vision said as he hauled another into the crate. “They will be frenzied to reach them.”

“We need to get out of here.” Steve said urgently. “If we’re fighting the Swarm, we need to do it outside.”

“Almost done.” Wanda said, waiting for Thor to heave in the last emitter before dropping the lid on the crate and sealing it up tight.

Stephen and Loki let go of the levers, which immediately stopped glowing, the cache snapped shut and began lowering again. Stephen walked over and took the chain attached to the levitating crate and hooked the other end to his belt. “All set.”

“Let's move.”

 

The black, ashy landscape was filled with swarming organisms as far as the eye could see. Zerglings, Hydralisks, Banelings and Defilers. The sky was filled with Mutalisks, Scourge pairs, Brood Lords and Overlords. They moved fast over the Creep, their horrible cries filling the air.

The army boys were in hot pursuit. Wraith and Viking squadrons barreling through the sky, the sound of rapid rifle fire and grenade explosions in the distance. But they just weren't close enough. Steve and his squad stood at the mouth of the facility, staring at the scene before them.

Natasha and Clint were out barraging the oncoming Swarm best they could, but those frontrunners would reach them soon. The quick-running Zerglings that evaded the missiles and lasers.

“Should we hold out for backup?” Sam asked.

“No, we need to get to the extraction point pronto.” Steve said. “Our dropship won't be able to wait for us if Overlords reach it. It's now or never.”

“What's the play, coach?” Tony asked.

“Bull ring. Ghosts center. Nat and Clint hover overhead.”

“How’d I know.”

“One-trick ponies are only bad if the trick doesn't always work. But this one hasn't failed me yet.”

“Cap, there's… oh god.” Sam’s voice faltered.

Tony glanced over to see where he was looking. A sea of green rolled towards them; a massive swarm of bulbous Banelings, bodies filled with green, volatile chemicals. Hundreds of them. They were still too far away to be hit, but there was no way they could manage to get them all once they were in firing range. Above them hovered Overlords, ready to alert their accompanying Scourges of Natasha and Clint’s location. Enough of them to tear holes in their ships if the monsters could locate them.

  
[(Full Image)](https://i.ibb.co/6W7KLHm/baneling.png)

“New plan.” Loki said. He flipped his rifle onto his back. “You boys with rocket boosters; get Wanda, Vis and I on top of the building.”

“What for?” Steve asked.

“We can take out the Banelings from a distance. The rest of you go on ahead. Protect Stephen. We’ll meet you at the extraction point.”

Tony looked at him in alarm. “No way we’re going without you.”

“We can cloak. We’ll be fine. The cache is your priority now, not us.” Loki stepped up to Tony. “Now get me up there.”

Tony stared at him for a long moment, fighting with himself. They just found each other; there was no way he was leaving Loki in such a dangerous situation.

“I'll be fine, Tony.” Loki softly assured.

“You better be. Hop on.”

Loki stepped forward onto one of the feet of Tony’s power suit, and Tony wrapped a big metal arm around him. He hit his thrusters, and they rocketed up into the air. He landed neatly on the top of the tall building, and Loki hopped off, drawing his weapon and striding towards the edge.

Sam landed beside him, both Vision and Wanda gripping onto his arms, and they followed their leader.

“You sure I can't… stay and protect you?” Tony asked anxiously.

“We’re Ghosts, Tony. This is our thing.” Loki said. He knelt down on the roof, ripping the tripod legs down from his C-20A rifle, and setting it down on its feet. Wanda and Vision stepped over to either side of him and copied his movements. Tony watched as Loki lay down on the ground, visor to the scope on his gun. He took aim, and fired. Tony gazed out at the approaching Baneling swarm, and stared mesmerized as those tiny green specks started exploding into little green bursts in the distance. That sharpshooting was impressive.

“Lets go, Tony.” Sam pat him on the metal arm, and then turned to jump down from the building.

“Right.”

 

They were surrounded by Zerglings. The meter-tall monsters swarmed around them like massive locusts, biting with those razor teeth and jabbing with their sickle appendages. The team shot at them, slashed at them with bayonets, threw grenades and blocked attacks. Clint and Natasha hovered overhead, raining down a volley of missiles and lasers. Scourges flew close; white, batlike suicider units with rows of teeth whose bodies exploded on impact. Clint shot them out of the air when they came near, aided by Stephen who sniped at them from inside the bull ring, hover crate in tow behind him.

  
[(Full Image)](https://i.ibb.co/gr6B1Yw/scourge.png)

They all kept a wary eye on those Banelings. The Ghosts had already taken out half of them; an impressive feat for three people sniping. They were fighting their way through the horde in a wide arc, trying to stay away from the impending swarm of Banelings for as long as they could give the Ghosts time to take them out. Unfortunately, that meant walking straight into the other types of Zerg.

The swarm of Banelings was thinning to a manageable level. If Loki and his team kept this up, they would be able to take the rest out with Natasha’s cluster missiles, Thor’s grenades and Rhodey’s miniguns.

“Oh shit. Hydralisks incoming.” Warned Sam. “Over the hill.”

Tony glanced up and spotted the horrific creatures sliding along at top speed in their direction. At least ten of them.

“I can hit them from here.” Stephen offered.

“Focus on protecting that package, Norman Reedus.” Tony responded. “We’ll take care of it.”

“They're pretty clustered.” Rhodey noted. “Wanna wrap em up?”

“I've got the Christmas lights right here.” Tony pat his grenade belt.

“Make it fast.” Steve said, just as he fired a round between a Zergling’s eyeballs, blood and brains spraying out over the glass of his helmet. “These guys are relentless.”

“Don't drink all the eggnog without me.” Tony hooked his gun and stomped over to Rhodey. “Let's fly.” He grabbed a hold of Rhodey’s suit under the arms, hit his jump pack, and they both launched into the sky.

They landed in a small clearing free of Zerglings, near the Hydralisks. Tony started pulling wire out of his suit, hooking grenades to it as he went.

“Man when are you gonna give me those boosters?” Rhodey asked, firing some rounds into nearby Zerglings, protecting Tony as he did his work.

“It's at the top of my list, bud.” Tony assured. “You set?”

Rhodey flexed his shoulder, ammo clicking in his minigun in response.

“Just call me Santa.” Tony grinned, and hit the boost jump.

Tony rocketed out, straight towards the pack of Hydralisks. The monsters looked as surprised as a horrifying mutant cobra with arms could look. They reared back and held up their scythes defensively, but Tony was too quick. He dropped one end of the wire on the ground, dodging volleys of spines as he launched and landed his suit in a circle around the cluster of creatures. They backed up into each other as he went, trying to fire at him from all sides.

Finally Tony skid to a stop, and yanked the wire. It whipped up and wrapped around the clustered Hydralisks, who hissed and spat at him furiously.

“Ho ho ho, motherfuckers.” Tony said with a grin, and launched away backwards, flipping them off as he flew.

“Ya’ll been naughty this year.” Rhodey said.

That was when Rhodey opened fire on them. The grenades attached to the wire ignited in a chain reaction. Tony felt the heat at his back as the explosion gained in strength, billowing out, burning Hydralisk flesh bursting out across the field. Tony landed on his back, singed carapace parts hitting the metal of his suit with a ding.

“Merry Christmas, guys.” Rhodey’s laugh came over the comm. “Hydralisks are done, Cap.”

“Good, now get back here pronto.” Steve’s voice sounded urgent. “We’re getting overrun. God, I've never seen so many Zerglings…”

“Natasha and Clint should be able to take care of the remaining Banelings.” Came Loki. “We’ll make our way to your position and back you up.”

“You need an escort?” Tony asked as he got to his feet, glancing over in the direction Loki was positioned. The building was a speck on the horizon, now. It was a long way to travel for three lightly-armored individuals, and they would have to pass straggling clusters of Zerglings. Even with their cloaking, Tony was worried.

“We’re fine. Go protect the cache. It is the only thing that matters.” Loki said authoritatively. “Captain, our comms will be disconnected for as long as we are cloaked.”

“Understood.” Steve confirmed. “Be careful.”

 

Things were becoming desperate. The Zergling swarm was relentless, all over them like a cloud of vicious mosquitoes, and their numbers grew every moment. It didn't matter how many you killed, a dozen more took the place of each one. On the Creep, the biomass of a Zergling was quickly reconstituted; as long as they stood on the Creep, a Zergling never really died. They also hatched from their eggs in pairs, and far more quickly than any other Zerg creature.

“There must be a Hatchery nearby.” Rhodey said in a panic, dodging the lunge of a Zergling as it came at him teeth bared. “There's no end to these guys!”

“We’re nearly there, just hold on!” Steve assured, trying to throw three Zerglings off his suit. Stephen sniped two of them between the eyes with his C-20A rifle, and Steve tore through the last one with his bayonet.

Clint was overwhelmed by Mutalisks, Scourges and Overlords, and was struggling to keep up. Natasha kept having to dart away from the Overlords, leaving their frontal path open where once she barraged the swarm with her missiles. Stephen did what he could to aid Clint, but soon the Mutalisk glaive wurms were bouncing between the infantry, burning the surface of their suits.

The Banelings were gone, nothing but a green splatter on the ground now. But the Hydralisks had reached them, in scattered pairs or alone, firing volleys of spines at the clustered group.

All of them watched the visual display on the condition of their suits. Armor parts were turning orange in the display, and red in areas. Damaged parts that were becoming vulnerable. They couldn't take much more, or they'd have a breach on their hands. The suits were self-sealing in case of breaches, but it was only a matter of time before there wasn't any metal left to seal.

On top of all that, they hadn't heard anything from Loki, Vision and Wanda for a long while. Tony was starting to get anxious.

“Is there _any_ way to track a Ghost when they're cloaked?” He asked.

“No. We can see each other if we allow it, but there's no way to track.” Stephen answered.

“What if they're in trouble?”

“They're fine.” Stephen assured. “Loki’s gotten us out of worse.”

Tony couldn't imagine what was worse than this. He felt like they were cutting through Hell itself. Images of Loki torn open, eyes faded, Zerglings ripping out his insides flashed through his mind, and he felt sick to his stomach.

He was distracted by these visions long enough that a Zergling leapt at him and knocked his suit over.

Tony felt the wind knocked out of him, and his alarms were going wild as the monster clawed at him, ripping through the metal.

“Fuck!” Tony yelled, trying to get his gun up, but his arm was pinned.

Suddenly a gunshot ripped through the Zergling’s stomach, splattering Tony in blood and guts. The carcass fell away and Tony sat up, glancing at his savior; Rhodey, who nodded at him.

“Thanks, bu-.” Tony’s eyes widened. “Behind you!”

Before he could respond, the bloodied talons on a Hydralisk’s arm scythe emerged through Rhodey’s middle, and the man’s bloodcurdling scream shuddered through the comm. Tony rolled and shot rounds into the monster with an enraged shout, until it's skull caved in. Rhodey fell to the ground, and Tony dashed over and sliced the Hydralisk’s limb off with his bayonet.

“Rhodey!” Tony shouted, clambering over the man. He could see his face through the window; blood was dripping from his nose, eyes were filled with shock.

Rhodey tried to speak but he just gurgled, blood bubbling up from his mouth.

“Bruce! I need you!” Tony shouted in desperation as he looked over the wound. The bony talon was impaled straight through his best friend’s midsection. The suit was working on sealing the tear around the intrusion, stitching together microscopically before his eyes.

The team formed a ring around them, Steve expanding his shield as Bruce ran over to Rhodey.

“Get me the readout!” Bruce yelled at the interface. “Rhodes, you with us?”

Rhodey gurgled weakly, his eyes closing, skin becoming ashy.

“Don't you _fucking_ dare, Rhodey!” Tony’s voice was hysterical as he held his best friend in his arms, heart pounding in his throat.

“Cap, I need as much time as you can give me.” Bruce said.

“You got it.” Steve confirmed, tossing his shield at a cluster of Zerglings, crushing their bones with the impact before the thing flew back and reattached itself to his forearm again.

Bruce placed a pressurized environment emitter around Rhodey’s midsection, and then jabbed his arm-mounted IV through the tiny dispensing flap on the man’s suit, injecting him with anesthetics. “Tony, I need you to relax and pull this talon out.” He said calmly.

“Won't he bleed out?” Tony looked at him in horror.

“My stabilizer medpack is ready, I can stop the bleeding in seconds. I need to close up the wound, and I can't do that with that talon in there.”

“Okay, okay.” Tony took a deep breath and gripped the talon with the hand of his suit, and then pulled hard. The bony appendage came away with a spurt of blood and a weakened whine from the mostly-unconscious Rhodey.

Bruce didn't waste time. He used a fine laser to cut a hole in Rhodey’s suit, and then flipped the attachment over to his nanobot injector, stabbing it into the wounded area. Those nanobots would work to stop the internal bleeding quickly, closing up any torn arteries and organ membranes. Then he flipped back to his laser and worked to cauterize the edges of the wound, working fast with a practiced hand, face intense with concentration. Finally, he sprayed the wound with grafting material to close up the hole.

“Alright, he’s stable and I gave him an antibiotic and antitoxin cocktail.” Bruce said, allowing the suit to repair the seal once again and pulling off the environment emitter. “But we need to get him back to the Carrier, pronto. I can't tell how much internal damage he sustained from here.”

“Grab him, we need to move.” Steve ordered. “We’re out of time.”

Tony and Bruce lifted the unconscious Rhodey in his suit up and supported between their bodies. Tony felt the color drain from his face as he looked up at the scene before him once again.

Screams and shrieks and roars drowned out any other sounds. The sea of Zerglings was unending, unbroken save for the occasional Hydralisk. Just a mass of spazzing limbs and teeth and claws. Mutalisks and Scourges filled the air, and Tony could spot Broodlords heading in their direction.

“We… we’re fucked.” Tony realized with sudden horror, eyes wide.

“No, we can do this.” Steve said, ripping a Zergling from Thor’s back, who was fully occupied by reloading and releasing as many grenades as he could by the nanosecond. “We-… oh… _shit_.”

Steve never swore, so that made everyone’s heads shoot up to look.

“ _Shit_.” Tony echoed.

From the gloom of dust rising in the air, emerged their death. Three Ultralisks, the Zerg siegebreaker, ultimate embodiment of the power of the Swarm. Many times the size of a Siege Tank, bulkier than anything imaginable, and built with impenetrable armor, they could crush a building between their kaiser blades; massive scythes that jut out from each side of their heavily armored heads. The ground rumbled as their massive feet met the dirt. Even the other Zerg steered clear of these monsters, lest they be trampled underfoot.

  
[(Full Image)](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/57/7e/63/577e633b14f1e546fe4bb740d970d0fc.jpg)

Tony’s ears rang as he felt the cold chill of adrenaline fill him, heard his breath in his ears. Nothing existed but those Ultralisks. The end of everything, stepping slowly towards them, closing in.

“We’re not going to make it.” Bruce whispered.

Everyone seemed to have the same calm sentiment. The blood and fight drained from them. This was it. Their last stand. Their bodies broken and nothing but bloody stains in the dirt. Mission failed.

“Somebody call for an exterminator?”

They all looked over in surprise as a figure materialized out of thin air ahead of them.

It was Loki, and his arms were on fire.

“Brother!” Thor exclaimed. Wanda and Vision decloaked beside Stephen, guns drawn.

Loki glanced over, the glow of his visor brighter than ever. The green fire licked his suit without burning it, and his cloak billowed around him. They could all hear the power cracking through the air.

“You're not going to face those things, are you?” Clint asked in horror.

“Get Rhodes and the cache to safety.” Came Loki’s calm voice as he looked forward at the approaching beasts, and started stepping forward. The Zerglings around him looked like they wanted to attack him, but were held back by some unknown force.

“Loki, no!” Tony shouted hysterically. “They’ll tear you apart!”

Loki didn't acknowledge him. He kept walking forward, and the green fire around his arms grew brighter. The Zerg all seemed to shriek in pain, and the Ultralisks stopped; unsure of themselves. Loki raised his arms slowly, and the area around him flooded in green electricity. The Zerglings in his immediate vicinity began to rise in the air, crackling with the lightning around them.

They all stared in amazement as the Ultralisks roared in anger, massive bodies lifted from the ground.

“Go! Go, go!” Steve yelled, and they all started running towards the extraction point, slashing their way through the Zerglings, Tony and Bruce hefting Rhodey along. The dropship was in view, surrounded by a fleet of Vikings.

Tony couldn't help but glance back over Rhodey’s head at Loki.

The man’s arms were raised, trembling with the power that screamed through his body. The green light was blinding, and the electricity was ripping the Ultralisks to shreds, piles of dead Zerglings around him.

Tony switched to a secure feed, just the two of them. “Loki… how are you doing this?” His voice was hushed with awe.

“I’m a class 10 on a psionic index that previously only went to 8.” Loki’s voice was strained and growly. “They reimagined the index for _me_. I'm the most powerful Ghost alive.”

Tony felt a shiver run up his spine, in shock and disbelief as blood and guts spurt out from the Ultralisks, shrieks filled the air as they were torn apart, falling to the ground in heaps of gore.

Massive beasts, seen as the impenetrable, ultimate tank units that could normally only be slaughtered by a nuke; dead at the feet of one small man using nothing but his hands.

It was _impossible_.

The squad reached the Quantradyne airship, which set down quickly and let out the ramps. Half of the Viking squad set down into their transformed ground assault mode, protecting the dropship from the clusters of Zerglings.

Bruce and Tony rushed on first, carrying Rhodey between them. The rest quickly followed, sending final shots at the Zerg before ducking into the ship. Clint and Natasha joined the Viking fleet and decloaked their ships to conserve energy for the push out of the planet’s atmosphere.

Once he had helped Bruce to set Rhodey down, Tony ran over and peeked his head out of the side of the ship. Loki was nowhere to be seen.

“Loki?” Tony called out on the comm in a panic.

The man suddenly materialized out of the air in front of him, decloaking, sending a shock through Tony’s nerves. “Jesus _fuck_.”

“I'm here, let's go!” Loki shouted.

“Hang on, we’re in for some chop!” The pilot of the Quantradyne said cheerfully, and the massive engines whirred louder as the ship began to rise into the air, the ramps lifting up and sealing behind them.

 

Everyone was quiet, breathing hard and recovering around the interior of the dropship. Masks up, breathing the air outside of their suits. The generated atmosphere was fresh enough, but the smell of metal, foam padding and sweat became suffocating after a while.

Tony hovered over the unconscious Rhodey as Bruce looked him over closer, until the man became annoyed.

“Tony, he's going to make it.” He assured. “The nanobots closed up the tears in his stomach. He's stable. Go worry over something else.” It was nice to hear his real voice outside of the comm static.

“He better.” Tony sniffed. “He promised he’d be my best man at my wedding. I don't wanna have to pick someone else.”

“You're getting married?”

“…I mean, not yet. That's why he's gotta stick around for a while longer.”

“Well I can’t make any promises for later escapades, but as of right now he’ll still be able to carry those rings for you. Now give me some air.”

“Alright, alright.” Tony sighed and stomped away.

He spotted Loki leaning against one of the walls of the ship. He’d taken his mask off, black hair flowing free. It was drenched with sweat, and beads of it dotted his forehead. He looked exhausted and pale.

“You okay?” Tony asked.

Loki glanced up and nodded. “Just tired.”

“I imagine it takes a lot of energy to do shit like that.”

Loki didn't answer, instead staring straight ahead at the beam in front of him.

“Is our relationship really that complicated?” Loki eventually asked softly.

Tony blinked. He really wanted to talk about that now, after everything they’d just been through? “I mean… it's only been a few days.”

“But we’ve known each other for longer.”

“Yeah, but you're not…” Tony searched for the words. “Entirely yourself?”

Loki looked up at him. He had an odd look in his eye, expression unreadable. He pushed himself off the wall and faced Tony, who looked down at him from his power suit.

“I'm always me. No matter what form I take.” Loki said softly. Then he grabbed the neck piece of Tony’s suit and pulled him down to his level, stretching up to meet him in a kiss.

Tony was surprised at first, tasting the salty sweat between their lips. But then he planted a mechanical hand on Loki’s back and kissed him back, closing his eyes and feeling a rush of affection run through his veins.

He pulled the man close and kissed him hard until he heard someone clear their throat behind him.

Tony blinked his eyes open and broke the kiss, glancing over at the others, just remembering they were there. Everyone was clearly intentionally avoiding looking in their direction. Except Thor, who stared at them in wide-eyed shock.

Tony winced, but then he felt a hand pull his gaze back, and he was staring into Loki’s green eyes. This time they were filled with humor and affection.

“It doesn't have to be complicated.” Loki said softly.

“No. No it doesn’t.” Tony grinned back, and bent down for another kiss.

Screw everyone else’s comfort.

 

—

 

_12 years ago_

 

It all started that fateful day. The beginning of the end. Tony didn't know it at the time, but after this day, his time with Loki was numbered.

It was Loki’s idea. He wanted to take Tony to that Old Earth museum at the center of Tarsonis City. Tony was shocked that he had suggested it. That area had so many people in it.

“If we go after 11, most people are either home or downtown.” Loki had said the night before. His voice sounded slightly synthetic over the video feed.

“Don't they close at 6?” Tony asked.

“My father is a major sponsor of the historical society, and he funded the museum’s partner in Kithrup. If I ask him, he will talk them into letting us in, like we did last time I went with my family. It’ll be entirely empty, save the cleaning crew.”

“The trains will probably be packed still, though. Can you handle that?”

“I'll walk. The streets aren't usually busy that time of night.”

“I don't know, Loki. Walking at night in Tarsonis City isn't very safe.”

“Where's your sense of adventure?” Loki grinned. “Besides, I’ll have a marine to protect me.”

“An unarmed marine-in-training.” Tony laughed.

“Eh. We’ll be fine.”

Of course, everyone knows you can't say that. You can't say ‘everything will be fine’. You can't say ‘well at least it can't get any worse’. Because that's when the rain starts falling. That's when the anvil drops.

That's when everything goes to shit.

It was dark, the street illuminated only by the occasional light. He was meeting Loki halfway, at the boy’s insistence. God, if only he had taken his bad gut feeling more seriously. When he thought about it nowadays, he wondered how differently things would have been if he’d just told Loki to wait at his apartment for him.

It started out when he heard voices, vaguely. He didn't think anything of it at first. He'd passed plenty of people on the walk here.

But then they started sounding malicious.

And then he heard a more familiar voice.

And then he started running.

He skid past that alleyway just in time to see Loki pinned against the wall of the building by some darkly-dressed meathead. Three other guys were with him, laughing tauntingly. One of them held a knife to his throat.

“…so, you got anything for me, pretty boy?” The man had his hands pressed into Loki’s arms, holding him there tight. “Or does Milo here have to cut it out of you?”

“Please.” Loki begged. Eyes wide with horror. “Just let me go, I can't… I don't want to-”

“What?” The one with the knife dug it into the skin of Loki’s throat, forcing his head back further. “Cry?”

“I-”

The man pinning him suddenly let go of one of his hands and threw a punch directly into his stomach. Loki cried out.

Tony was about to yell, to run over and hurt them for hurting Loki. But he didn't have the chance.

Loki’s veins suddenly started glowing green, and he cried out in agony as light burst from his skin in a fiery explosion, green electricity arcing out and lashing out hungrily at his attackers. They screamed bloodcurdling cries as they were punched backwards by the force, flying through the air and landing on their backs.

Tony was flung backwards by the shockwave as well. He took a breath of the air that was forced out of him, and then rolled to leap back onto his feet.

That was when the acrid smell of burning flesh hit his nostrils. Tears sprang unbidden to his eyes at the burn. He stared at the scene in front of him.

The attackers all lay in unnatural heaps in a circle, skin burnt black, eyeballs leaking out, the cement below their feet stained with ashy streak marks. And Loki was sitting at the center of the dark circle, legs sprawled, his back pressed against the wall, trembling and wide eyed in terror.

Tony shook off his shock and ran over to the boy, trying hard not to look at the smoking corpses. “Loki!” He threw himself down at Loki’s feet, reaching out. “Are you-?”

“ _Don't touch me!_ ” Loki wailed, and shrank further against the wall. He was pale, skin dotted with sweat, his eyes manic.

“Hey, hey. It's just me, it's okay.” Tony tried to sooth, kneeling before him.

“Please, I don't want to hurt you too.” Loki cried, breathing panicked.

“Okay, okay. I won't touch you.” Tony held his hands up. He was shaking a bit too. “Are you alright?”

“I w-wanted to _warn_ them.” Loki sobbed, pressing his palms into his eyes. Tony could see his medical dispenser; the little light on it was dark. It looked shorted out. “I can't- I didn't want this to happen again-”

“Again?” Tony stared in shock.

Tears were welling up from Loki’s eyes when he met Tony’s. “I… in Kithrup.” He swallowed. “They… they attacked me, I didn't want to- I never… never told anyone. They never figured out what happened to…” He choked on his words.

“Loki, it's okay. It's self defense. You didn't mean to.”

“That's the _problem_.” Loki sobbed. “I can't- I don't know how _not_ to do it. Gods, I never wanted to kill anyone-” He stared past Tony in despair at the dead, smoldering bodies around them.

Tony wanted so badly to grab him by the shoulders. To wrap his arms around the boy and hold him close and tell him it was going to be okay. But he had to keep his distance, for both their sakes. “Lets get you away from here, okay? Let's go to the park. Walk this off. Everything is gonna be okay.”

Loki slowly ripped his glazed, wide gaze away from the bodies, slowly met Tony’s eyes. Stared for a minute, then slowly nodded.

 

“Loki… I think you have psionic powers.” Tony said, voice stressed. The revelation cold in his stomach, made him feel like he was walking through a dream.

Loki was still pale and trembling, holding himself as they walked through the park in the semi-darkness. Tony kept the distance between them, trying not to set him off again. They'd been silent the whole time; Tony trying to think of what to say, Loki traumatized and looking sick to his stomach.

Tony went on, “I know, the government likes to say none of its real. And I mean, I didn't know psionics had anything to do with _that_ but… it's the only explanation.” A realization dawned on him. “Loki, what if… the voices you hear. What if they're people’s actual thoughts? Not just in your head. People with psionics can read minds, supposedly.”

Loki was still silent, but now he appeared to be thinking. Coming out of his daze.

“What do you think?” Tony prodded.

“I think…” Loki’s voice was soft. “I think I always knew. In my heart.” His gaze slowly drifted over to Tony. Eyes far away. “That the voices weren't just in my head. I never understood why…” He gazed down at his arms. At the shorted out medical dispenser. “Why _this_ happened. There was a time, when I was a kid, that I convinced myself it was the gods protecting me. But… I think I always knew the truth.”

Tony felt a surge of excitement at the confirmation. “This is good! This means you don't need to take the medication anymore.” He smiled. “I know how much that thing annoys you, you can get it taken out-”

“No, I… I can't.” Loki suddenly looked fearful. “You know what happens to kids who register on the Psi Index.”

“That's just a rumor, Loki.”

“They _disappear_.” Loki ignored him. “I can't risk giving myself away.” His eyes suddenly widened. “Oh gods, what if they figure it out from the bodies?”

“There's no way.” Tony assured. “It looked like they accidentally set off a bomb. There’s no way what really happened will even cross anyone’s mind.”

But Loki was gone. His hand over his mouth. “I don't _want_ this.” He said tearfully, sinking to his knees in the grass. “I don't want to constantly be surrounded by people's thoughts, or worry about what might happen if someone…” He buried his face in his hands. “Gods I… I'm so tired of seeing their faces in my head every night, hearing their screams, just… knowing I'm the one who did that, I'm the one who ended their lives, took them away from their friends and family… it's… it _kills_ me, and now it happened again, I can't… I don't know if I can live like this-”

“Hey.” Tony crouched in front of him. “Don't think of it like that. Those guys tonight? They were rats. If you didn't stop them, they would have carved up many more innocent people. Probably raped people too. You saved a lot of lives by taking care of them.”

“I don't _care_. I'm not a killer, Tony. Whether they deserve it or not.”

Tony bit his lip. “I know. But it wasn't you. It's not something you can help.”

“I can help.” Loki said miserably. “I can kill myself.”

“Don't say that.”

“What if it happens to someone I love? I… maybe this was a warning. Maybe I need to… in order to protect them…”

“Loki, don’t.” Tony said sternly. “You're not going to hurt anyone.” He held his hands out, palms up, to Loki. “Take my hands.”

Loki stared at them fearfully. “I can't.”

“You won't hurt me.”

Loki trembled, staring at Tony’s hands. Tony thought he wasn't going to do it. But slowly he brought his hands up, fists clenched, shakily unclenching. Slowly brought his fingers to Tony’s hands. The touch was lighter than a butterfly, but it sent shivers through Tony. But he stayed as still as he could as Loki gingerly lowered his hands onto Tony’s.

Loki shuddered and closed his eyes, eyebrows stitched with emotion. Tony wondered when the last time Loki had touched another person was.

“See?” Tony’s voice was soft. “You won't hurt me.”

Loki’s breath seemed to calm, his trembling beginning to relax. He slowly opened his eyes, green shining in the moonlight.

“You know what we’re gonna do?” Tony brushed the backs of Loki’s hands with his thumbs gently. “We’re gonna go find a nice secluded wilderness on some planet somewhere and build a cottage or something. I mean, probably an inhabited planet, so we can order groceries. Fuck if I go full ‘live-off-the-land’, I'm no farmer. We’ll live off my dad’s money. And we can just… live there. With no other people to worry about. Build a cozy little life. Keep in touch with our families over stream, where you can't hear their thoughts. We can come back for Yule every year so you can see them. We can hoard a bunch of Old Earth shit. Read books and explore and I'll build stuff. What do you say?”

Loki’s eyes were welling with tears, filled with emotion. “What about your military career?”

“Fuck it. I found something better. You in?”

He was surprised when Loki flung himself forward, wrapping his arms around Tony and planting his face in his chest. Tony was frozen in shock, not really sure if he should hug him back or not. But Loki gripped him like Tony was a lifeline; and slowly, as his shock wore off and was replaced by a flood of affection, Tony carefully lowered his arms and placed them on Loki’s back, rubbing it gently. He bit his lip to hold back the tears threatening to fall.

Finally, Loki lifted his head to meet Tony’s warm, brown eyes. A small smile on his face.

“I’m in.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a bit too much fun with this chapter :) :)


	7. Don’t Hold Back

It probably wasn't the best idea to go to the gym today. Tony couldn't remember the last time he felt so sore all over. He was banged up and bruised, and had a lot of nasty cuts that could open up again if he moved too hard.

But he needed to. He had so much pent up frustration that he didn't know what to do with. He knew he wouldn't be able to concentrate on any mechanical projects, and could see himself throwing a fit if anything went wrong. Hitting a punching bag sounded like the only thing he could really do with himself right now.

Tony was so caught up in his cloud of vexation that it took him a few moments to notice the fact that he had passed several marines who looked about as beat up as he did, grumbling about something as they headed away from the direction of the gym. He blinked as he turned his head to watch one bulky man as he stormed past, an ice pack held over his eye. As he came closer to the gym, he heard a lot of shouting from inside.

“The hell?” Tony muttered as he stepped inside.

A crowd of marines were standing around the hand-to-hand combat training mats, cheering and booing. Tony walked closer, straining his neck to see who was fighting.

To his shock, he discovered Loki had a brute of a man pinned down with both arms behind his back, legs around his neck in a choke hold. Even after all he had seen yesterday, Tony couldn't believe his eyes. Here was this thin, far smaller man locking down a giant, barely looking like he broke a sweat.

Loki was wearing a dark green sleeveless that went halfway up his neck, fitted black pants, and his feet were bare. His raven hair was up in a bun, strands popping out wildly. “You can tap out anytime, you know.” Loki’s voice sounded casual. “Not to rush you, or anything. I'm in no hurry.”

The marine, letting out a gargling sound, tapped his free hand frantically on the mat. Loki released his grip, letting the man flop down gasping as he got to his feet himself. The crowd was filled with disappointed groans.

“Anyone else?” Loki glanced around the crowd, spreading his arms. The defeated man crawled away, his friends reaching out to help him to his feet.

“This the line for the kissing booth?”

Loki turned to see the crowd part and Tony heading up to the mat. “Oh, yes.” Loki smirked. “Many have kissed the mat this day. You sure you want to do this?”

“I haven't made any dumb decisions yet today.” Tony grinned. “So what the hell.”

“I'll warn you once.” Loki cocked his head. “I'm not going to hold back just because I find you attractive.”

“You find me attractive?”

“Generally.” Loki wandered over to the side and picked his water bottle up off the bench for a sip. “Shoes off.”

The crowd of marines around them stood waiting as Tony sat to remove his running shoes, some of whom Tony recognized from his league. Some of them threw encouraging words his way, others laughed and said he was about to get his ass handed to him. He heard some muttering drifting around as well, tales of Tony’s exploits and retellings about yesterday's events. He closed his mind off to that last part.

Tossing his shoes to the side, Tony stood barefoot and faced Loki, who had put down his water bottle and now stood at one end of the mat, legs apart.

“We got rules here?” Tony asked.

“Usually I’d say no crotch hits, biting or hair pulling; but we’re not going to get that far.”

“You have that little faith in me?”

Loki shrugged, “I have more faith in you than the rest. But I know how it's going to end.”

Cocky sonofabitch.

The pair of them circled the mat like a pair of tigers, the crowd chanting Tony’s name. As he breathed, and stared Loki down, Tony suddenly realized he wasn't sure if he could actually hit him. From the looks of his previous opponents, he shouldn't really feel worried for him, he could clearly hold his own; but could he really look into those beautiful green eyes he loved so much and still throw a punch? Watch that face crumple in pain from his own hands? Could he take any more guilt today?

He was starting to regret all of this when suddenly Loki ran, took a flying leap and landed a hard kick straight to Tony’s stomach, sending him sprawling.

“Agh, fuck!” Tony rolled over in pain, clutching his stomach.

Loki stood over him. “I told you I won't hold back. Neither should you.”

Tony twisted his body lightning fast and tried to sweep Loki off his feet, but the other man was quicker and hopped back from the blow. Tony took that opportunity to leap to his feet, and spin to face his opponent. Opponent; that's what he was determined to think of him as. Not Loki.

Before he gave the other man a chance to think, Tony threw a punch aimed for his chest; but Loki caught it against his forearm and grabbed his wrist with the other hand. Tony had expected this, and threw a surprise low punch with his other arm aiming for the abdomen; but to his own surprise, that was stopped short as well by Loki’s other hand, grabbing his fist.

Tony tried to knee kick him, but Loki used that momentum and his grip on both of Tony’s arms to twist him into the air, and Tony landed on his back with a hard thump that knocked the wind out of him. This time, the man didn't give Tony a chance to recover. When Tony tried to scramble to his feet, Loki suddenly launched into him, and got him on the ground in a headlock from behind.

Tony choked and tried to push Loki’s arms off from their constrictive grip, but the man was surprisingly strong. His legs were tight around Tony’s torso as well, and he found himself unable to breath as he tried to writhe out of the python’s embrace.

“Purple really isn't your color.” Loki noted casually. “Give up?”

Suddenly Tony reached up and grabbed Loki’s arm that wasn't wrapped around his neck, ripping it down and pinning it under his own armpit. He could sense Loki’s surprise. With that leverage, he grabbed hold of the wrist that held his neck in the lock, pulled it off and around his head, forcing Loki’s arm into an awkward position. Loki let out a pained grunt and Tony quickly lashed out and grabbed a hold of Loki’s head and pulled it downwards hard into his own more painful headlock. This twisted position forced Loki to release one of his legs from around Tony’s torso, and Tony quickly used this newfound freedom to twist around while Loki was winded and sit on him, pinning him and pulling his arm behind his back in a lock.

Loki’s face was twisted in pain, and Tony said, “I’d really rather not break your arm right before our next mission.” He grinned, though he was a bit out of breath. “Give up?” He pulled the arm back just a tad further and Loki involuntarily let out a gasp, eyes shut tight. The crowd cheered him on, going wild to finally see Loki beaten.

Suddenly Tony felt an alien flash of panic, and Loki pressed his knee into the ground hard and rolled up with the hold, sending Tony falling sideways. Although Tony still held his wrist in a death grip, Loki quickly twisted around in the same direction, bending his torso to rotate his arm back out of the painful twist. With Tony now on his back, he threw himself on top of the man and sent a hard punch to his face.

Tony yelped with pain, eyes watering, and let go of Loki’s wrist to cover his face with his arms as Loki kept throwing punches. He tried to catch Loki’s hand as he did so, but he was seeing double from that first hit.

When another punch connected with his temple, causing him to see stars, and he tasted blood in his mouth, Tony finally held up a hand and said, “Alright, alright!”

Loki breathed hard as he sat on Tony, loose strands of hair everywhere, eyes wild. But he held back his fists as Tony held both his hands up in surrender.

The crowd groaned and booed. Loki was yet undefeated, and everyone realized now that that wasn't going to change. If Tony couldn't do it, no one could.

Tony winced and pinched his nose to stop the blood from gushing out and smirked up at Loki. “Does this count as domestic abuse?” His blocked nose made his voice sound funny.

At Tony’s casual tone, the wildness finally started dimming from Loki’s bright eyes, his muscles relaxing. “I think that only applies when the beating is nonconsensual.” He said, out of breath. He glanced at the disgruntled crowd as they started filing away, understanding any further challenge was useless. No one was going to bother now.

Loki swallowed and pushed off of Tony, getting to his feet. Tony lay there for a moment before trying to pull himself up into a sitting position. He was feeling lightheaded, and the gravity made his nose gush harder and his eyes water more.

After a few moments, a box of tissues appeared in front of his face, and he glanced up to see Loki holding it out to him. He gratefully took a couple of them and shoved them up his nostrils to stop the blood flow.

“I was right to have more faith in you.” Loki was saying. “No one who wasn't a Ghost has lasted that long in the ring with me before.”

“Oh man, I'd pay to see a Ghost fight.”

“It's like watching a well-choreographed Kung-fu movie. Where did you learn your release methods?”

“I took some martial arts classes back in the day. Most marines don't bother beyond the basics since what we do career-wise is rarely hand-to-hand. But you know me. I like to learn everything I can.”

“Well, not everyone is so gifted as you in the ability to retain so much knowledge.”

Tony grinned, and Loki held a hand out. Tony accepted it and was hauled to his feet. He rubbed his sore neck as he waited for the stars to disappear from his eyes. “Gotta say, I don't really see the appeal in the whole choking thing.” Tony winced.

“Can't help your kinks.” Loki had a wry smile.

Tony grinned as they started walking over to the benches at the far corner of the room, Loki grabbing his water bottle on the way.

“So, do you host this little fight club often?” Tony asked.

“Nah. My usual sparring partner had to cancel today, so I tried to get one of the marines here to fight me.” Loki took a sip of water. “No one seemed too keen, doesn't look so good to beat up the smaller kids. You know how career marines are. So the first guy said he’d fight me if I promised sex as a prize for winning.”

Tony raised an eyebrow. “And… you said no… right?”

“Oh no, I agreed to the terms.”

Tony frowned. “I thought we were exclusive?”

“We are, that's why I wouldn't have risked it if I didn't know I'd win.” Loki grinned.

After taking a moment to let that sink in, Tony laughed. “You cocky sonofabitch.”

“Anyway, after the first few it just kind of became a challenge to the room and the rest had to try their luck purely for the sake of honor.”

“A mistake I imagine no one will make again.”

“You underestimate the hardheadedness of marines.”

“Fair point.”

They sat down on the bench side-by-side, Tony pulling out the blood-soaked tissues with a wince and replacing them with clean ones. He could feel bruises forming everywhere Loki’s fists had managed to connect with his face and forearms, and he knew he’d be feeling far worse tomorrow. Tony never did ‘take it easy’ after his body had gone through something like yesterday, but this had been the exact opposite of what he should have done.

“How is Rhodey?” Loki eventually asked, softly.

And that's when the world crumbled down again.

The fight had been enough to take Tony’s mind off of it for a while, but now Loki just dredged it up again and the hurt and sickness burst right back into his mind and stomach again. The heat in his eyes. Tony lowered his face into his hands.

Loki frowned, a worried look crossing his face. He gently placed a hand on Tony’s shoulder. “What's wrong?”

“He ah…” Tony sniffed, rubbing the welling tears from his eye. “His spinal cord was severed. He's been in surgery for hours but the doctors are pretty certain he’ll never be able to walk again.”

Look gazed at him, his eyes full of pure sympathy. He gave Tony’s shoulder a squeeze. “I'm so sorry.” He said sadly.

Tony nodded, clasping his hands together, but he didn't really hear him. The memories were coming back again. The moment the Hydralisk talon erupted from his best friend’s torso, covered in blood. The gurgling sound of Rhodey choking on his own blood. He was lost again in the dark despair and the moving pictures flashing before his eyes. The sickening feeling of deep guilt.

Then he felt a hand pulling his face to the side, and gazed into green eyes, dragging him out of that dark place.

“It doesn't take a psychic to know what you're thinking.” Loki said softly, hand resting on Tony’s cheek. “Letting that moment run circles in your head. Thinking your way through what you could have done differently to keep it from happening. All the while feeling angry and sick to your stomach and unable to escape the endless spiral of rumination.”

Tony swallowed, the lump in his throat growing. “I can't not. It… it was all my fault.” His voice cracked. “I got distracted, let a Zergling get to me. Rhodey was saving me when it happened. It's _my fault_ he won't ever walk again.” A hot tear dripped down his cheek.

Loki wiped the tear off with his thumb and then dropped his hand from Tony’s face. He turned his head and gazed out at the room before him, resting his elbows on his knees. “People are going to tell you ‘no, it was the Zerg’s fault’, or ‘nobody’s fault, things just happen’. And you’re going to feel in your heart that it's your fault, no matter what they say. But it doesn't _matter_.” Loki looked back up at Tony. His green eyes felt ancient and wise, like he knew exactly what Tony was going through from experience. “No amount of guilt from you, no amount of Zerg you kill for revenge; its not going to bring Rhodey’s legs back.” His words were matter of fact. The plain truth.

“Then what do I do?” Tony asked, voice quiet and lost. “Because every time there's silence, I'm thinking about it.”

“Think about what you're going to _do_ about it instead.”

Tony’s eyebrows stitched quizzically. “What do you mean?”

“You’re arguably the best engineer in the Koprulu sector. You have a unique ability to problem-solve your way through anything. You also have a mind that allows you to learn new things in a matter of days.”

“What are you saying?”

“Neural interfacing with machines is… still a young technology. We’ve worked out how to send visual and audio signals from cybernetic eyes and ears to the brain. There's been some minor success in using the brain to control prosthetic arms.” Loki clasped his hands. “If anyone can figure out how to give a brain complex motor control over a machine, a mechanical pair of legs for example, I'd put my money on you.”

Tony sat back, reeling at the thought. For a moment he wondered, ‘is that really possible? Can anyone really figure out how to connect a brain to such a complex machine?’. But within a second his mind was dashing through a million ideas, filtering out the things that wouldn't work and the things that might. He had a sudden extreme desire to read everything the database had on neural interface research. Within a few more seconds, he had a complete diagram in his head of the leg supports and a number of ideas on how to make them work.

Loki had a thin smile on his face as he went to stand up. “Well, I suppose I'll let you get to work.”

Tony snapped out of his daze and reached up to grab Loki’s hand, and Loki glanced down at him.

“Thank you, Loki.” His voice was soft and the words came from the bottom of his heart. “This is exactly what I needed.”

Loki dipped his head and gave Tony’s hand a squeeze.

“I'm here for you.”

 

It was late in the artificial night when Tony’s long haze of work and research was interrupted by someone entering the workshop. He glanced up to see Bruce stepping gingerly through the disaster zone.

“Jeez, Tony. You look terrible.”

Didn't take a doctor to recognize that. Tony hadn't even stopped to eat that day. His eyes were bloodshot and were surrounded by dark circles, and his hair was an absolute mess. His face was also bruised up from his spar with Loki.

“We need to talk about your flirting skills, bud.” Tony said distractedly as he glanced back down at the microprocessor he was working on.

“I'm a doctor. When I find someone who likes having their veins complimented, I’ll know I've found the right one.” Bruce said as he leaned against the work bench.

“Or you've found someone with a vampire kink.” Tony set down his tools and rubbed his eyes, spinning in his chair to look at Bruce. “Any luck with the flash drive?”

“It's still decrypting. The locks are heavier than anything I've ever seen. It's likely to take a couple of days before all the files are unlocked and assembled.” Bruce folded his arms. “I've got a good feeling we hit the jackpot though; a lot of the files are named after something called Project Shadowblade.”

“Shadowblade? That sounds ominous.”

“Sounds like something you’d name a top secret military project you don't want anyone to know about.”

Tony grinned and whacked him on the arm. “Well done, Brucie. We’re finally gonna have something over that sonofabitch.” Then he glanced back to the project on the work table, and flicked at a holographic interface with the schematics on what he was working on.

“What are you up to?” Bruce asked curiously.

“Oh, nothing much. Just giving Rhodey back his legs.”

Bruce’s expression twisted with concern and sympathy. “Tony… I'm really sorry, but his spinal cord is a mess. You gotta just accept it. There's no way he's ever walking again.”

Tony snapped his fingers and pointed at him. “That's where you're wrong.” He spun in his chair and stood up, stepping over to the center of the room.

“Tony-”

“Just bear with me a sec.” He opened up the holographic schematics for his project, allowing them to float around his body. Bruce looked skeptical, but he patiently gazed up at them.

“So, this was all Loki’s brilliant idea really.” Tony smiled up at the blue shapes around him. “Basically, I'm building leg supports controlled by a neural interface. So its not really _his_ legs moving, he's just kinda gonna be the puppetmaster of them.”

“Neural interface? How?”

Tony flung a hologram over to Bruce. “Implant to the primary motor cortex. Each joint on the supports will translate neural muscle commands to make the legs do what he wants.”

“Aaand when did you become a neuroscientist…?”

“This afternoon.”

“Jesus, Tony.”

“I know, I know.” Tony spread his hands. “It looks obsessive, it looks like I'm in denial. You've seen it before. But I feel great about this. It's still a rough draft but the mechanics seems sound and feasible to me.”

“How do you know this implant won't mess with his brain?”

“It shouldn't. It's not altering anything, just reading neural impulses and comparing them to the activity in its database in order to match it to the correct motor function.” He stepped forward in Bruce’s direction. “But I'm not gonna risk leaving it to my own knowledge. I've got you here for a second opinion.”

Bruce sighed and rubbed his nose, nodding a little. “I only really dabble in neuroscience. But, honestly I do think you're onto something.” He glanced around at the schematics. “You should ask a specialist in the field to look at it. Why not Stephen?”

Tony scrunched his nose. “That arrogant bastard?”

“Tony, don’t. If you're serious about this, about giving Rhodey his legs back; you need to swallow your pride and talk to Stephen. He's one of the most brilliant minds in the field.”

“One of? So I have other options?”

“Tony.”

“Okay, okay.” Tony grit his teeth and sighed. “You're right.” He started folding some data up into a neat package in the air.

“I'll talk to Stephen.”

 

That night, as Tony was in the middle of welding, it happened again.

The sudden anxiety, cutting through his heart like a hot knife through butter. The welding torch clattered to the floor and Tony fell to his knees, clutching his chest as it tightened, gasping for air. The word shifting around him as if he were underwater. A sharp pain exploded in his eye, and he cried out while grabbing at his face.

As suddenly as it began, it stopped yet again. Leaving Tony sitting there breathing hard. His ears ringing. He sat there stunned for a long while.

When his hearing returned, a hissing sound filled the air, and he realized it wasn't just from his ears ringing. He glanced down and realized the welding torch was still blowing.

“Oh, fuck!” Tony croaked, jumping on it and switching it off as soon as his shaky hands reached the switch. Thankfully nothing had caught fire, but it left a significant scorch mark on the floor. Crisis averted, Tony sat back to catch his breath, willing the stress from his bones.

He dropped his face in his hands and exhaled. He didn't understand why this was happening. It couldn't be the stress, since the first time it happened, he wasn't stressed out. It might be the warp space, but that was pseudoscience. These attacks didn't feel like his usual PTSD. They felt alien, full of alien feelings he didn't understand.

He didn't understand.

He just didn't understand.

 

—

 

_12 years ago_

 

It had been about a week since that night. The night Loki lost control and killed those men. The night they discovered the source of the voices. The night Tony promised to be by Loki’s side forever.

Tony had come to Loki’s place in a socially acceptable fashion three times since. He’d been introduced to Loki’s father, Odin, who had been busy working on something in the dining room when Tony was led inside the first time. The large, bearded, one-eyed man intimidated Tony, but he didn't seem to have any interest in his presence. Just gave a gruff greeting and turned back to his holographic papers. Waving them off like a couple of kids on a playdate. Reminded Tony bitterly of his own father.

Apparently Loki’s mom was on a business trip this week, and Tony felt pretty disappointed about that. He’d really been looking forward to meeting her after how affectionately Loki spoke of her. A part of him hoped they would have a good relationship one day. He’d been so starved of a mother figure for too many years, that part of him was desperate for something to latch onto.

Thor was shocked and appalled to discover Tony in his home. They had a harsh rivalry at school, had very separate friend groups and were by no means ever friendly. On his first visit, they got into a heated argument that nearly turned into a brawl if Loki hadn't intervened and dragged Tony away to his room. Thor seemed suspicious of their friendship, paced like a restless lion when they were together, and looked for any excuse to check on his brother. It was both annoying and endearing at the same time, but Tony would never admit that to him.

“So, I was looking at Taurus-7’s moon Brahma.” Tony said through a mouthful of chips and salsa. “It's only a couple days’ jump from here so it’d be easy to visit back home. It's lush, and mostly a farming moon with plenty of land for purchase.”

“Mm…” Loki chewed on his vaporizer. “There's something about moons orbiting gas giants I don't like.”

“Imagine how beautiful the sky full of a swirling gas giant would be though?”

“Beautiful, yes. It just doesn't… feel stable? I don't know. I'd have anxiety about the planet swallowing us.”

“Brahma’s been around for billions of years. I don't think it’ll be crashing into the planet in our lifetimes.”

“Logically, I agree. But try telling that to my anxiety.”

Tony laughed. “Alright, alright. I'll scratch it off.”

The pair were lying on Loki’s floor beside each other, a plate of snacks beside each of them, as they gazed up into the holographic projection of the Koprulu sector. Stars and planets floated before their eyes, bathing the room in blue light, melding in with the dim purple lights Loki usually had on. Tony occasionally grabbed at a specific planet to zoom in further as he pitched ideas on where they could run away to.

“Do you really think we can actually do this?” Loki asked softly, gazing up at the holograms.

Tony looked over at him. His vivid green eyes were so beautiful, all the moreso with stars reflected in them. “Absolutely.” He smiled. “Piece of cake.”

“How are you going to get your father to go for funding it, though?” Loki sucked on the vaporizer. He had worry in his eyes.

“I've never had a problem getting him to sign checks for me.” Tony shrugged. “I'll just tell him I want to buy some expensive equipment or another workshop or something. I'll just get enough to fund our trip there, purchase land, have a house built and… well, you know. All the necessities, plus comforts. Then once he knows what I really did with the money, if he refuses to further fund us, I'll just make us money selling mechanical designs. Easy.” Tony had a wistful smirk on his face. “Honestly though, he likely won't have a problem with the idea of funding us. I'll be working on engineering projects, will have given up on being a marine, and be far away from him; all things he wants.”

Loki glanced at him, sympathy in his eyes. “Doesn't he just want you to run the company one day?”

“I can do that from anywhere.”

“I thought you didn't want to, though?”

“If it means easy funding for our lifestyle, I can grit my teeth. Being CEO wouldn't be a big deal. Just sign shit and sit in for boring meetings now and then.” Tony turned his eyes up thoughtfully. “Hell, I could set up a facility in the nearest city of whatever planet we decide on. Provide me an easy commute if I ever do need to have physical meetings, and expand the company. Dad would be proud.”

“You should write up why it would be beneficial for the business to have you on another planet.” Loki said. “Something to put your father at ease and give him reasons to fund us.”

Tony grinned. “Always the reasonable one. You should be a negotiator. You'd be good at it, considering you can read peoples’ minds. Know exactly what they really want. One step ahead at all times.”

Loki’s mouth curled in a half smirk. “Perhaps. If I’ve figured out how to control it one day.”

“I believe in you.” Tony glanced over and smiled reassuringly. “You'll have control over it one day. You'll have all the time in the world to practice.”

Loki didn't say anything. Just gazed up at the ceiling thoughtfully. His eyes doubtful.

Tony turned over on his side and propped himself up. “Doesn't really matter either way, though.” Loki glanced over. “Where we’re going, you won't have to worry about it.”

“I'll still have to worry about it.” Loki said quietly. “It just won't be overwhelming anymore.”

“Well, we’ll work it out.” Tony felt a little jolt of excitement. “Oh hell, I could do all sorts of tests. Brain scans, energy readings. We can figure it out with our favorite thing; science. ”

Loki’s gaze softened. “I don't deserve you.”

Tony reached out and rested his hand on Loki’s. “What you deserve is to be _happy_.”

Loki still flinched for a moment when their hands connected. After spending half his life avoiding physical contact, it wouldn't be a habit he could break in a week. He probably wouldn't break it for a very long time. It made Tony sad on impulse. But all the more glad that the boy trusted him enough to not only allow it at all, but also seem to revel in it once he got over the initial reflex.

“I'm not sure I deserve it.” Loki shrugged. “But I certainly wouldn’t mind.”

Tony smiled and rubbed the back of Loki’s hand with his thumb as he leaned over him. “Well, we’re going to be happy. Both of us. We’re gonna sleep in however long we want and have weird backyard swamp adventures. We’re gonna fight over the hot water heater in our underwear and then realize we forgot to give our Zeran Guppy it's growth suppressants and discover it rolling around in the living room next to the broken tank-”

Suddenly Loki grabbed Tony by the shirt collar and pulled him down, Tony nearly falling before he stopped himself with his arm planting on the floor beside Loki, and their lips met.

Tony was shocked stupid.

But then he melted into the kiss, Loki’s lips soft and warm under his own. It wasn't a hungry or passionate kiss; it was soft, slow and it electrified his senses. Lips moving gently against each other. Eyes closed and breaths ghosting across each other's faces like butterflies.

They kissed like that for a while, until Tony finally pulled away, eyes fluttering open to gaze down at Loki as he hovered above the boy.

“You're weird.” Loki stated casually, opening his eyes as well.

“Did you really just kiss me to get me to shut up?”

“It worked, didn't it?”

Tony grinned. “Suppose that means you don't want to keep going?”

“I never said that.”

“We’re never going to pick a planet at this rate.”

“Mm, we could just take the ‘spin the globe’ approach.”

“We might end up on a moon.”

“Fair point.”

“Or a barren planet.”

“Right…”

“Or a Zerg-infested-”

“For fuck’s sake, Stark; will you just kiss me?”

Tony grinned and happily bent down to oblige, capturing Loki’s lips in his own.

After a few seconds, though, they were interrupted by a knock to the door.

Tony quickly pulled away and Loki groaned. “What now, Thor?” At least he was actually respecting Loki’s request to knock first before bursting in.

Tony was laying on his back pretending to have been eating chips the whole time when Thor opened the door and glanced down at them. “I, um… was wondering if you wanted to watch the holo in the living room?” He didn't say it, but they both knew he meant ‘I would much prefer you to be where I can keep an eye on you’ as he glanced warily at Tony. He could understand. Thor had gone his whole life thinking his brother was mentally ill. Tony wouldn't leave a mentally ill sibling with someone he didn't trust either.

Loki and Tony exchanged glances. It was the fourth time Thor had interrupted them for similar reasons, and they both looked ready to relent. Loki sighed and glanced back up at his brother. “Fine. But I get to choose the program.”

Tony helped Loki pick up the snack plates and drink cups as they both got to their feet. Loki led the way out of his room, passing Thor.

“What are you doing with a map of the Koprulu sector?” Thor asked quizzically as he glanced back into the room before trailing after them.

“We’re going to discover a new planet and name it Globey McGlobeface.” Loki said smoothly, without missing a beat.

Tony strained to bite back a laugh.

As the trio sat on the couch in the living room watching some nature documentary that Loki seemed to know by heart, Tony was distracted by thoughts of today’s events.

A shiver went through him when he relived that first kiss in his mind over and over again. Not only had it been something he’d been wanting to do for a while, Loki had been the one to initiate; finally clearing up all his doubts about whether Loki liked him back in that way.

His heart fluttered all the more when he thought about their plans, now. Because now he knew everything was going to be perfect. He knew they had each other.

And they were going to be happy.

 

—

 

_Present day_

 

Tony and Steve walked beside each other down the hall as they headed towards the bridge. Tony looked like an overtired wreck; the only sleep he’d gotten last night was unintentionally facedown on the workbench for an hour or two. He didn't mind, though. He’d been productive. Wasn't the first time he’d been irresponsible with his body due to a project.

Now he chewed on the breakfast MRE as he walked. The surprise meeting Fury had called this early left him no real time for breakfast when Steve had come to fetch him. But he hadn't eaten since a few nibbles of breakfast the previous day, and his body was insisting it be fed with the threat of nausea.

“How are you holding up?” Steve asked gently.

Tony swallowed the hunk of something unidentifiable in his mouth. “Fine. Got projects to distract me.” He didn't really feel like going into it again. Steve would just look at him the same way Bruce did. See it as Tony in denial, obsessing over an impossible cure to fix what happened. Everyone knew Tony couldn't help but try to fix things. Machines and people alike.

“I was told half an hour ago that he's awake.” Steve informed. “They need to run some more tests on him, but you can visit later.”

Tony felt conflicted about that. Both elated and nervous. Would Rhodey be upset with him? Probably not. But he would be devastated about his situation. If Tony didn't succeed with his project, Rhodey’s life as a marine was over. He wasn't sure if he could bear to see his best friend in that state. The military was his life. He wouldn't know what to do with himself.

The pair stepped through the sliding door to find some of their task force assembled already. Tony peered around and saw no sign of Loki yet.

Fury glanced over from his place at the console. “If it isn't my favorite marine.” He nodded at Steve.

Tony pulled a face of exaggerated hurt. “Wow. I thought I was your favorite?”

“You’re my _least_ favorite, Stark.” Fury said in that smooth tone of his as he turned back to the console. “Easy mistake, though.”

“Is this about the next phase of our mission, Director?” Steve asked, all business.

“It is.” Fury leaned against the console, glancing up as the sliding door opened again. In strode Clint and Natasha; and between them was Loki in his unarmored Ghost uniform.

Tony frowned a bit when he realized Loki rivaled Tony’s own sorry-looking state. Paler than usual, dark eye circles; he also had a nasty-looking bruise around one eye, and a cut and light bruise on the bridge of his nose. The mostly-healed cut on his cheekbone from a few days ago was visible again as a line darker than the rest of his skin.

He stared in worry; he knew he hadn't done that when they sparred yesterday. His punches never connected with any part of Loki’s body, and he never aimed for his face. That meant someone had done that to him sometime after he left the gym that day. Had some of the marines been sour about their defeat and ganged up on him? He felt a flare of protective anger welling in his stomach. He fully intended to interrogate the man about it after this meeting.

“Now that we’re all here.” Fury swiped his hand over the console, bringing up a hologram of a planet. Steve’s squad along with Loki’s Ghosts assembled in a circle around the console, giving the Director their full attention. “Azharu is a planet at the edge of Protoss Space. It has a breathable atmosphere for Terrans, but it's mostly barren rock desert. For the most part, we’ve ignored this planet for fear of conflict with our blue neighbors. Recent scouting missions have discovered that the Protoss have set up a humble research facility on the surface.” Fury pulled at the hologram, zooming out a bit to show the neighboring star systems. “Azharu is within reasonable distance of one of the most heavily Zerg-infested star systems in the Sector. A star system with strategic value to us in the fight against the Zerg.” He glanced over at Loki. “I'll hand the mic over to our resident Protoss expert for the next part.”

Tony glanced at Loki. Protoss expert? He couldn't help but quirk a smile. So he had been right; Loki had traded his obsession of Old Earth culture for Protoss culture. Which was definitely a more useful obsession in this day and age.

Loki clasped his hands. “The Khalai Protoss have an immense fleet known as the Golden Armada; hailing from their homeworld on Aiur. Lead by their Hierarch Ro’nan the Accuser, this is a force of devastating power, encompassing their greatest ships and weapons. They have destroyed entire worlds with this fleet.” Loki gazed into the holograms of the planets, not meeting the eyes of anyone who looked his way as he spoke. “Their sole purpose is to destroy the Zerg; ‘purifying’ the sector of these ‘abominations’, in their words.”

Loki swiped the console, bringing up a schematic. It was a giant ring with two smaller rings spinning inside of it, with a glowing core that looked like a tiny, fiery star. All of the rings were lined with strange glowing symbols and claw-like shapes.

“The Protoss use a system of warp conduits connected via their psionic matrix that allows them to move large amounts of forces instantaneously from one gate to another. This means that if a Protoss base is threatened, the Golden Armada can warp directly to it and aid them in battle.”

“Our reconnaissance of the Protoss base on Azharu has revealed that they do indeed have a warp conduit system in place.” Fury took over. “Thus, if a large Zerg force were to manifest itself on the planet and threaten the research facility, the Golden Armada would be forced to warp in and destroy it.”

“Why wouldn't they just warp the inhabitants of the facility away?” Clint asked.

“The Protoss don't run from battle.” Loki explained. “Or at least, Ro’nan doesn't. He is somewhat of an extremist. He would take this situation as an excuse to obliterate the Zerg.”

“I'm not sure I follow, Director.” Steve said. “The Zerg force you mentioned is in a neighboring star system and currently poses no threat to Azharu, or the Protoss wouldn't have set up a base there. How does any of this relate, and what does it have to do with us?”

Fury clicked his tongue, studying Steve for a moment. “If you recall, Captain; I had you acquire some psi emitters the other day. I'm sure I don't need to remind you how the Zerg behave in response to these emitters.”

Everyone was quiet, letting this statement sink in. Eyes went wide, mouths speechless. Even Loki’s Ghost squad looked mortified. Tony stared at Fury's cool, even gaze. Was he really suggesting…?

“You… want us to lure the Zerg to Azharu.” Steve had gone pale. His voice cracked with horror. “Director, the Protoss will see this as an act of war. They… we don't have a _chance_ in a war against the Protoss.”

Fury shook his head. “Not if they don't know it was us that brought the Zerg there.” Everyone stared at him with dazed expressions. Fury brought the hologram of the planet back up again, this time with a highlighted indicator of the Protoss facility’s location. “As I said, the facility is very humble. They are currently only located on this side of the planet, and have yet to implement any form of monitoring across the rest of it. They're isolated. If we approached from the opposite side of the planet, they’ll never detect our presence.”

“Director.” Bruce slowly looked up from the hologram. “If we do this, thousands… maybe millions of Protoss will die. We’ll be unleashing an unimaginable horror on innocent scientists just to get it off our backs.”

“I'm aware of the consequences, doctor.” Fury glanced at him with his eyebrows raised pointedly. “As of right now, there are more heavily Zerg-infested worlds than we can handle. The more worlds they hold, the faster they grow. As my elite, I'm sure you're all aware of a certain cold, hard fact; we are currently losing this war.” His stern gaze traveled around the table. His voice calm and factual. “The Protoss are the greatest weapon we have that we don't gotta pay for. If we pull this off, it will deal the Zerg a significant blow. We’ll finally gain some footholds we desperately need.”

“If the Golden Armada’s sole purpose is destroying the Zerg, why don't we just ask them to help us?” Sam asked.

“The Protoss see us Terrans as nothing more than an annoying, invasive species. Primitive, lesser.” Fury explained. “They don't give a damn what happens to us. They're gonna do their own thing, kill the Zerg on their own agenda unless we force their hand.”

Tony stared at Loki. Surely he couldn't condone this horrific plan of Fury’s? But the man’s face was blank of all emotion, eyes spacey. Tony was bewildered by this empty husk that stood before him, no fight within.

“There _has_ to be something else we can do.” Tony finally spoke up. “Have we even tried striking up a dialogue with the Protoss?”

“If we do that, they’ll refuse, and we’ll be forced to continue the plan anyway. It’ll make them suspicious of the sudden Zerg movement.” Fury responded coolly. “They might suspect we had a hand in it. We can't risk that. As the Captain pointed out, we can't afford a war against the Protoss.”

“But what if we could convince them that destroying the Zerg in that star system is mutually beneficial?”

“Our research and past dealings on the Protoss says the likeliness of successfully convincing them to help us is less than 5%. I’m not gonna take that chance.”

Tony grit his teeth, his voice argumentative. “Director, that's nearly a 5% chance for millions of people to-”

“That's enough, Tony.” Steve pinched the bridge of his nose, voice sounded worn. He looked sick to his stomach, but he had his good soldier face on. That made Tony angry. Was he really just going to let Fury do this without a fight?

“It doesn't really matter anyway.” Fury turned his back on the table, hands clasped behind his back. “The plan is already in motion.”

Steve frowned. “How so?”

“You see, Captain. We’ve had the psi emitters running since we left Koton.”

The table was full of puzzled faces, until realization hit Tony. “You've already begun leading the Zerg.” His voice was hollow. “You're pulling the Swarm from Koton along on a string.”

“We’re currently locked into a warp course that will take us straight past the infested system, which will attract the attentions of the rest of the Swarm, on our way to Azharu.” Fury said matter-of-factly. “As you all know, we cannot safely exit warp space before reaching the plotted target. In the 1% chance we didn't blow up, we could end up anywhere in the universe. There's no going back.”

The table was quiet for a long moment. The expressions Tony saw were a range of grim acceptance to dazed horror.

“What do you need us to do?” Steve asked quietly, voice defeated. He didn't look at Fury when he spoke.

Fury turned back to the table, scanning them all with his eye. His expression was guarded. Did he feel anything? Anything at all? “I need ya’ll to take the psi emitters down to the planet, turn ‘em on and keep ‘em running until all the Zerg have reached the surface.”

Steve’s eyebrows went up. “You're asking us to bunker down and defend the emitters against _billions_ of Zerg?”

“That I am.”

“Why can't we just plant them, turn them on and leave?”

“Because they don't run without a Ghost to make ‘em run.” Fury pointed at the Ghosts. “I need you and your squad to take Loki and his squad to the bunker sites, and protect them while they power the emitters.”

A cold chill shot through Tony’s body, and he glanced at Bruce who seemed to be in just as much shock. So _that's_ why the emitters had no on switch.No way to trigger a response from the Khaydarin crystals. Because only a Ghost tapping into the crystals psionically could trigger them to begin emitting the psi into the amplification chambers. They weren't decoys after all. Tony had been wrong.

Steve closed his eyes and sighed.

“We’re gonna need a shitload of Siege Tanks.”

Steve never swore.

 

Tony and Loki were the last to leave the bridge, and they walked side by side down the hall in silence.

Tony was in utter shock after that meeting. He felt enraged at the injustice. The ‘sacrifice the few for the many’ bullshit. That was an easy stance to take when it wasn't _your_ people being sacrificed. That said, a lot of the Confederate army would be slaughtered while they tried to defend the psi emitters as well. Fury didn't bat an eyelash at the fact. Sending men to die for something so horrific. The fire in Tony’s belly burned hot.

He glanced over at Loki, who still had the same blank expression on his face. “Fury can't get away with this.” Tony snapped.

Loki slowly came out of his daze and glanced at Tony. “Hm?”

Tony blinked, taken aback. “Are you alright?”

Loki looked at him tiredly. “I'm fine.”

Their pace had slowed significantly. Tony reached out and gently touched the bruise around Loki’s eye. The man flinched under his contact. Eyes wary. “Who did this to you?”

“I can't answer that.” Loki said, looking away.

Tony frowned. “Was it another training injury?”

Loki was silent for a long moment. The look he finally gave Tony was puzzling. “I can't answer that.” He repeated quietly.

Just another thing to buzz around in Tony’s head. Frustrate him further. He had so much going on in there. The situation with Rhodey, this morally horrific task he was assigned, Loki hurting and unable to tell him what was going on. The secrecy was driving him mad to the point of hysterics. He just wanted to shake Loki until he told him _what the fuck is going on._

Instead, he decided to take a breath and focus on one problem at a time. “Loki, we can't let Fury do this. We can't sacrifice-”

“We can't talk about it outside the bridge.” Loki quickly halted him. “Everything in that meeting was confidential.”

“We need to, Loki.” Tony’s voice was exasperated. “He's making a mistake and he needs to be stopped. Doesn't he have anyone he answers to?”

“He answers to the Council. You know that.”

“Then why the hell aren't they stopping him?”

“The Council, the Old Families, Command, Senate… they're concerned with politics and money. They care about the Core Worlds, and the Core hasn't faced the war yet. The war is in the Fringe and Outer worlds, which they don't care about. They leave him to all military dealings and decisions as long as it doesn't affect their precious Core. They don't even ask.”

“How can they put all their trust in one man? No one is immune to mistakes, bad decisions. He's _blinded_ , Loki. I need to get in touch with the Council. They need to hear about-”

“Tony, you can't.”

“Why the fuck not?”

“He controls the communications. You’d never get through to them.”

“He'd really censor me from informing his bosses of something they should really already know?”

“You can't fight the Director, Tony.” Loki looked so exhausted, on the verge of tears. They’d halted in their tracks, now. Standing, facing each other in that empty, dimly lit hallway. “He's too strong. His claws sunk deep. There's nothing we can do. There's nothing anyone can do except what he tells them to.”

“ _Fuck_ that.” Tony spat.

“ _Tony_.” Loki’s voice cracked as he grabbed Tony by the shirt, startling him with the desperation in his voice. “Stop fighting. Please. If you fight, you won't win. All you'll get is iced, and we’ll never see each other again. I can't…” His face fell, Tony’s eyes were wide as he realized Loki was trembling. “I can't do this without you.”

And in that moment, the universe fell away. All the weights Tony held on his shoulders, in his mind; lifted. Nothing mattered anymore. Nothing but this broken man in front of him. This broken man who needed him.

Mind a short-circuited blur, too sleep deprived and hysterical to think any more, he took Loki’s face in his hands, and brought them together to kiss him tenderly on the lips. Loki’s shaking slowly faded as he took hold of Tony’s arms in his hands, closing his eyes and kissing him back.

As Tony slowly encouraged Loki backwards, their kisses grew more heated, his hands traveling to feel Loki up in that skintight suit of his. Pressing Loki against the wall now, their bodies so close it drove him crazy, pressing kisses all along his jawline and down to his neck, tugging down that uniform collar to get closer.

Then he heard Loki grunt, and snapped out of it. Breathing heavily, he pulled away, gazing at the man. “I'm sorry, I… got carried away.”

But then he noticed that Loki’s green eyes were blown, felt his heart pounding, bulge growing between his legs, blush across his cheeks and nose. “By all means, carry me away.” Loki squeaked.

Tony’s brows furrowed. He’d be all for that if Loki didn't look so beat up right now. Bruises dark, the cut on his nose red against the pale of his skin. “Are you sure? You look like you need to be sleeping-”

“Tony, I swear to all the gods. If you leave me like this, I will personally make sure you never get Nuke Noodles again.”

Tony grinned. “Damn, now I know you're serious.” He pressed forward, capturing Loki’s lips in his own again, one hand pressed gently to his jaw and the other rubbing him through his uniform. Loki huffed and pushed his hands under Tony’s shirt, pressing his fingers into his hips and running them up his abs.

“Not that I'm complaining...” Tony started as he trailed kisses across Loki’s collarbone and planted them on his shoulder, bare from the cutouts in the uniform. “But I've been wondering. What _are_ these for, anyway?” He indicated the cutouts.

Loki looked up and squinted accusingly at the writer. “Somebody has a shoulder fetish.”

“…what?”

“Nothing. It's for comfort.”

“Well I gotta admit; they do a lot for me.”

“Good. Care to continue this somewhere more private?” Loki suggested.

Tony smirked and pulled his head away from Loki’s neck. “My workshop’s around the corner.”

The pair stumbled into Tony’s workshop, barely managing to close the door behind them as they attacked each other with ravenous kisses and worked to undress each other. They quickly found themselves in nothing but their boxers, making out with Loki’s back against one of the workbenches; the one with the least amount of things on it, which Tony haphazardly shoved to the side to make room.

“Ah, fuck.” Tony cursed between kisses. “I don't have any lube in here.”

“That's fine.” Loki breathed. He grabbed at Tony’s boxers and tugged them down, gazing up into Tony’s eyes as he got down to his knees.

Tony felt himself blushing. “You don't have to- ah.” He closed his eyes and groaned softly as Loki took his hard cock in his hand.

Loki smirked. “I did tell you I have an appetite for dick.” Tony felt him run his warm tongue along his length.

“Oh _god_.”

It wasn't long until Loki took him into his mouth, warm and wet and glorious. Moving his face forward, bringing Tony’s dick further into his mouth. Tony groaned; his cock throbbing with pleasure from the fact that Loki could take so much of him. He felt Loki’s tongue smooth against his skin before the man started pulling Tony’s cock almost out of his mouth slowly, hand gripping the base. He gazed up as he did so, green eyes lidded sensually.

He pleasured and teased Tony like this for a while, licking and sliding him in and out of his mouth, taking special attention to the sensitive skin just under the head, driving him crazy until he couldn't take it anymore and tangled his fingers in Loki’s silky, raven hair. Loki smirked as much as he could with his mouth full, and took it as Tony started moving slowly on his own, closing his eyes and groaning as he pressed his hips forward, pushing his dick into Loki’s mouth before sliding out and repeating the motion.

He gazed down as he fucked Loki in the mouth, looking into those green eyes blown with pleasure. He was feeling that empathetic connection in powerful waves, feeling Loki’s pleasure in this act. Tugging his hair back just like Loki desired, causing him to huff through his nose.

Eventually, Loki pulled back, pulling his head away, the cock from his mouth, breathing hard. The look he gave Tony was one of absolute need. “Bend me over the table.” He breathed.

“We don't have-”

“Just use spit.”

“You sure?”

“ _Tony_.”

“Alright, alright.”

Loki got to his feet and Tony pulled him in for a hard, heated kiss before turning him around and pressing him down onto the worktable. He caressed his hips as he slid his boxers down, exposing that beautiful ass.

“God you have the most fucking perfect ass in the whole universe.” Tony groaned, squeezing those cheeks with his hands. “Nothing could make it better.”

Loki turned his head, cheek resting against the surface of the worktable. The glow of his green eyes reflecting softly on the dark material. “One thing could make it better.” He breathed, tone suggestive and bordering desperate.

Tony smirked. He’d contemplated asking Loki if he wanted some attention from his tongue or fingers first, but he felt a sense of urgency from the empathetic connection. Felt it in his belly that Loki wanted nothing else in the world right now than to be filled by Tony. So he got to work, spitting onto his hand once to rub onto his cock already wet by Loki’s mouth, and a second time to slick Loki’s hole as much as he could.

Then he lined the head of his cock up with one hand, pressing down on Loki’s back with the other, and slowly began to take the plunge. Loki closed his eyes and scrunched his face in pleasurable pain, sending empathetic waves through Tony, making his cock throb all the more. He took his time pushing inside, adding more spit as needed, waiting for Loki to adjust to his girth the further he went. The man squirmed under him with need, but Tony insisted on taking it slow until he was sunk in to the hilt.

“Oh, fuck.” Tony moaned as he pulled back a little, gazing at the sight. “You were right. My dick in your ass definitely takes it one step more beautiful.”

Loki responded by huffing and pushing back on Tony to get the friction he so desired.

Tony grunted and lowered himself down until his chest pressed against Loki’s back, grabbing a hold of one of Loki’s earlobes between his teeth just enough to make the man squeak. “Eager.” He breathed into Loki’s ear as he pulled himself backwards, just before snapping his hips back again and driving his dick back deep inside.

Loki gasped and Tony felt the shock of pleasure run through him empathetically. That only encouraged him on. He lifted himself back up, grabbed hold of Loki’s hips, drew back and pushed in again. He did this slowly a few times, receiving lovely sounds of pleasure in return, before he began to set a rhythm, moving in and out smoothly. Loki moaned quietly with every thrust.

Soon Loki began to press back to meet his thrusts, driving his throbbing dick deeper, making them both moan. Every time he hit that pleasure spot, it felt like shockwaves going through his body. He wanted to hit it every time so he could feel Loki’s pleasure. Tony’s thighs slapped against Loki’s ass as he slammed into him. Such a beautiful sound; Tony could listen to it all day.

He could feel in powerful waves Loki nearing completion. He bent down, pressing his body into Loki’s again, listening to the man’s ragged breath and uncontrollable moaning as he reached down and grabbed a hold of Loki’s cock, dripping with precum. He felt it twitch in his hand as he stroked it while drilling him with his own cock.

Tony gently bit his shoulder as he felt the waves increase to an almost unbearable level, and finally, finally spilled over; Loki coming with a loud moan. He rode the waves himself as he beat inside faster, gritting his teeth as he felt himself starting to come, and groaning loudly as he filled Loki deep inside.

After several moments of hard panting as they remained in that position, Tony eventually swallowed and wiped the sweat from his forehead, raising his weight off of Loki and pulling out.

They both slid down, boneless to the cold floor. It felt nice on their hot, sweaty skin. They used their discarded clothing as pillows and curled up together, letting their heart rates calm again. They were both far more relaxed than they’d been in days, the stress draining from them in the afterglow.

This was what both of them needed.

As he drifted in the haze, Tony found himself thinking about that strange, empathetic connection he felt with Loki. He always felt it there, deep underneath. But it burst out in raw power when they had sex. Made itself known, there was no way to doubt it. And then, even more strangely, when they slept beside each other. Loki’s dreams vivid as though they were Tony’s own.

It had to be because Loki was a Ghost, right? Was it this way with all Ghosts? Tony had never been with another Ghost to compare it to.

Tony stroked the man’s hair, frowning at the bruises on that perfect face and silently vowing to kill whoever had done that to him. “Hey, Loki.”

“Mm.”

“Can Ghosts project their thoughts or emotions into other peoples’ heads?”

Loki opened his eyes halfway and glanced up at him tiredly. “Not unless the other person is a Ghost.”

“Really? So you can only project your thoughts to another Ghost?”

“Well, I can't _project_ , per se. I can only think and allow the other Ghost to listen in.”

“Oh. Huh.”

“Why?” Loki asked curiously.

“Oh, I just had a great idea for a prank.” Tony lied. “But I guess it won't work.”

“Hm.” Loki yawned and lowered his head again, closing his eyes. “That's a shame. I love pranking.”

Tony smiled, running a hand through Loki’s hair.

“I know you do.”


	8. Shadowblade

Tony wasn't entirely certain how he was supposed to get into contact with Stephen. It's not like he had the man’s number, and since he was a Ghost, he couldn't just look him up in the registry. Where the hell did he even spend his time, normally? Where did _any_ of the Ghosts spend their time normally? Was there some secret Ghost rec room where they all play Magic: The Gathering, hold seances and smoke HCD-12?

He was working out how to get himself invited to the next Ghost potluck as he strode down the hall, and was just about to pass the research deck when he spotted something through the glass wall and halted in his steps.

“Well, whaddya know.”

There was Stephen Strange, standing tall in his overdramatic cloak, talking to a small group of scientists. He had that usual smug look of superiority across his face as he gave his casual lecture. Well… alright, it was probably just his normal face. Actually, he looked pretty genuinely interested in what he was saying right now. Tony just wanted to see him as a smug bastard.

“-and so you see, the synapses begin to regenerate at a rapid rate, but at the atomic level the-”

“Hey, doc.” Tony interrupted the man, stepping in through the door. “Mind if I bother you for a sec?” He tried to keep his tone friendly and neutral. He only had one shot at this, and couldn't afford to make him angry.

Stephen glanced over at Tony, mild surprise crossing his face. “I don't really have time to argue about quantum mechanics at the moment, Stark.” The other scientists were looking at Tony like he was an alien. What the hell was a marine doing in the research deck?

“Good, me neither.” Tony shoved his hands in his pockets, trying to appear meek. “I just wanted to pick your brain about brains.”

Stephen’s head tilted quizzically, but he waved the group of researchers off and folded his arms. “You want to consult me as a neuroscientist?”

“Exactly.”

“I suppose I have a few minutes.”

“Great. What do you know about neurally-controlled prosthetics?”

Stephen’s expression quickly faded from curious to understanding. “Ah, I see. You're hoping to find an experimental cure for your friend.”

“Not find, make.”

“Make?”

“I'm already building the prosthetic leg supports. Mechanically, they're nearly complete. I need an expert to look over the neural implant I designed, make sure it's not gonna create any unwanted effects.”

Stephen blinked in surprise. “You built a machine capable of complex motor movement without sacrificing support strength controlled by neural implant alone, something we haven't been able to achieve at such a fine scale for centuries… in one day?”

“Yeah well, I've been tinkering with compact designs for power armor most of my life. It wasn't a huge step up.”

“Huh.”

Tony waved his hand over his wrist implant and brought up holograms of his designs, particularly the neural implant with diagrams of how it will attach to the brain. Stephen gazed up in barely-concealed wonder, bathed in blue light as Tony went over his designs with the man, explaining everything in detail. For the moment, they weren't an engineer desperate to save his friend and a cocky neurosurgeon butting heads; they were two scientists speaking the pure language of wonder, unadulterated by politics or competition.

“The implications of this could be huge, Stark.” He didn't take those words from Stephen as a compliment so much as a matter of fact. “This could help a lot of amputees for one thing; but we might also be looking at the future of power armor.”

“Neurally-controlled compact armor; quick, deadly, not so damn bulky.” Tony agreed. “Maybe one day. But right now, all I care about is Rhodey. So what do you think?”

Stephen considered him carefully, eyes sharp as he thought about it. “I don't foresee any issues, and the technology seems feasible. You're going to need input, though. I do have access to brain activity scans from a large data pool. I can help you isolate the leg movement activity and we can average it out.”

“That would be perfect.” Tony couldn't help his genuine smile. “I imagine the activity looks a little different for everyone, so I designed it to learn based on feedback. It should detect signals indicating that it did not respond the way Rhodey wanted it to, and adjust as he goes. Adapt the brain activity maps. After some practice and learning, it should smooth right out.”

“So the programming is AI?”

“Very basic and tunnel-visioned AI. Not Adjutant level or anything.”

“Fascinating.”

“Alright there, Spock.”

Stephen grimaced. “You sound like Loki.”

Tony’s smile slowly faded. He was suddenly reminded of that blank look and the bruises on Loki’s face earlier. “He’s not alright, is he?” Tony asked quietly.

Stephen regarded him silently for a moment, before finally confirming, “No.”

Tony was surprised by his honesty.

Stephen turned, sighing as he reached for the holographic interface on one of the consoles in the room. “I'll get that scan data to you now. You should receive the package within the hour.”

Tony nodded, taking that as his signal to leave. “Thanks, doc. It means a lot to me.” He said, as he turned towards the door. “Let me know if there's anything I can do in return.”

“You're a good man, Tony.”

Tony stopped in his tracks.

“An asshole,” Stephen added, “but a good man.”

Tony smirked, and headed out the door.

 

Tony was feeling strangely anxious about seeing Rhodey.

His best friend had always been his eternal source of comfort. The only person he truly felt safe with. Never felt negative emotions towards. And now that was ruined by guilt, pain and uncertainty. Why did it have to happen to Rhodey? _Why couldn't it have been me?_ He thought.

But Loki was right. There was no sense wallowing in guilt. It wouldn't do anyone any good. All he could do now is move forward.

So that's what he did. Move forward. Physically. Down the hall. Rather than just standing there frozen. He walked forward until he reached the medical sector of the ship, followed the signs to the recovery bay, and followed a nurse’s instructions as to the location of his friend. He found the man sitting up in bed, flicking through something on a holographic display. He looked worn out, eyes puffy, skin gray.

“So, you think you can just lay around all day while the rest of us work, eh?”

Rhodey looked up, raising an amused eyebrow. “What, no flowers? And I thought you cared.”

“Not enough to jump out into warp space to find a planet with flowers on it.” Tony grinned. He headed over and plopped himself down into the chair beside Rhodey’s cot. “How you holding up? Experiencing any phantom legs?”

“You gotta be an amputee to get phantom limbs.”

“Oh no, I mean like the ghosts of all the legs that have been amputated in this area.” Tony wiggled his eyebrows. “You haven't heard the stories?”

“Alright, that was terrible.” Rhodey chastised. “I'm ashamed of you.” He shook his head.

Tony smiled and looked down. He wished more than anything that he could tell the man about his plans to fix this situation, to give him some hope. But he couldn't do that right now; he had to be 110% certain it was going to work. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he gave the man hope just to take it away with failure. “Listen, Rhodey… I'm real sorry.” He looked up at his friend with sad eyes. “All this… it's all my-”

Rhodey raised a hand. “Don't even go there, Tony.”

Tony exhaled, his words evaporating from his tongue.

“Besides, even if this _was_ your fault, I'd do it again.” Rhodey nodded. He had a knowing look in his eyes. “You'd do the same for me.”

Tony dipped his head.

“Now put that damn fool brooding away and tell me about the next mission.”

“I can't. It's confidential.”

Rhodey scoffed. “‘Confidential’ ain't in your vocabulary.”

“I literally just said the word-”

“Tony.”

Tony sighed and looked at the floor. “You're gonna have to talk to Steve.” He shook his head slowly. In all honesty, he just didn't have the stomach to go into detail about it right now. “Rhodey, it's… bad. What Fury’s gonna have us do.”

“What, he pimping ya'll out for ammo money?”

“I'm serious, bud.” The haunted look in Tony’s eyes made Rhodey’s expression go from amused to concerned. “I don't know if I'm gonna be able to live with it on my conscience for the rest of my life.”

“Clean conscience and good dreams have never really been on the table for military folk.” Rhodey said carefully.

“Sure, war is morally gray.” Tony agreed. “My hands aren't clean. But this? I've never felt so sure something was bad in my life.”

“Then why don't you stop it?”

“Because the only way to stop it is to make equally bad things happen.”

Rhodey rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He gazed at Tony considerately for a long moment, before finally saying, “Then make sure it never happens again.”

Tony stared at his best friend, feeling a bit stunned as those words echoed in his mind. Such a simply stated solution. But the implications…

As it stood, with the Carrier in a set, unchangeable warp space route, the only thing Tony could do to stop this was to get word out to warn the Protoss. That would inevitably mean war with the Protoss, and that was a death sentence for hundreds of billions of Terrans. If he tried to stop the ship, that would mean death for the residents of the Carrier; and deciding to sacrifice the lives of the few for the sake of the many would make him no better than Fury. If he stayed quiet and did his job, he’d be partially responsible for the deaths of millions of innocent Protoss.

But it wasn't his choice to make; the Protoss or the Terrans. Even if it was his place, he would lose either way. He would have blood on his conscience. Whether it was Terran or Protoss, red or blue; blood was blood.

As it stood now, this was all on Fury. He was the one who put them on this course. That's how Tony needed to see it. Because deciding who lives and who dies; that's not what Tony’s here for. That's not where he can do any _good_. Thanks to Rhodey, he realized, in those seconds that all of this ran through his mind, that he had another role to play.

Tony was going to play his part. It made him sick to his stomach, the thought of going through with it. It would haunt him for the rest of his life. But he was going to play his part. And then, when the smoke cleared; he was going to avenge those Protoss. He was going to avenge the Terrans who lost their lives in naivety to this cause.

He was going to make sure _no one_ had the power to make a decision like this again.

 

“And how exactly are we going to do that?”

Tony was pacing the floor of the workshop, watched closely by Bruce and Thor who sat beside each other on a workbench. He had checked and rechecked the dampening walls and ensured there were no hidden bugs he’d missed the first few times before he posed the question to his friends. What they were about to talk about was treason of the highest order. If they were overheard, getting iced from the military would be a wishful dream compared to the punishment they would receive.

“We not only need to get Fury removed as Director,” Tony said thoughtfully, “we also have to put enough fear into the government that they’ll keep a tight leash on the next Director.”

Bruce and Thor took this suggestion in.

“I guess that means we need to convince the Council that it's a bad idea to leave a Director unchecked.” Bruce rubbed his chin. “We would need to get them to implement regulations that force a Director to have to jump through hoops to make big decisions.”

“I have a feeling that this Protoss situation will not be enough to sway them.” Thor said sullenly. “Fury will not find it difficult to convince them that he had no choice. To twist the story in his favor.”

“I agree.” Tony scratched his head. “We’re going to need something else entirely for this. Bruce, does your contact have any way of digging up dirt on Fury? Maybe there's something he’s covering up that we can expose?”

“I wouldn't doubt it, but that's an awful big risk I'm not sure they'd be willing to take.” Bruce sighed. “Besides, you know how the Council and the Old Families are. Unless it negatively affects the Core Worlds, they don't really care.”

“So we need to find something bad he did and show them why it's a threat to the Core Worlds.”

“Having my contact look for dirt that affects the Core Worlds would be like asking them to look for a needle in the world’s biggest haystack that may or may not actually be in there. With the danger of being caught and punished for it, might I add.”

Thor’s head shot up. Expression of epiphany. “Well then, rather than _searching_ for a needle, we could create one ourselves.”

Bruce glanced up at the large man quizzically. “What do you mean?”

Thor grinned widely. “When we were young children, Loki was angry because he always got in trouble, and I never did. So he planted evidence in my room that I had been stealing treats that I was not supposed to have. Wrappers and crumbs and the like.” His chuckle was fond. “I got in much trouble with our parents. Clever weasel.” Tony tried to bite back the amused smile threatening to break as he imagined little Loki planting candy evidence in Thor’s room.

“That's a cute story, but what does it have to do with Fury?” Bruce asked, breaking Tony’s daydream.

“I follow.” Tony snapped his fingers, leaning back against the adjacent workbench. “Rather than look for evidence of something bad that we hope exists, we can _plant_ evidence that Fury is doing something the Council wouldn't like one bit.”

Bruce slowly nodded, letting that sink in. “That wouldn't be easy. But I'll bite. What would we frame him for?”

“It would have to be something that directly affects the Core Worlds.” Thor thought aloud. “Something Fury cannot twist and claim to be a good thing.”

“Oh…” Tony’s eyes glinted dangerously. “We can go for the _throat_. Go after the _real_ root of the government’s motivations.”

“What do you mean?” Bruce asked.

“The Council and the Old Families only care about the Core Worlds because that's where their greatest influence is. That's where the money is. That's where the _power_ is. We need to frame Fury for something that directly threatens the power and livelihood of the Terran government. _That's_ where the motivation is. They wanna stay nice and cozy, and they’ll do anything to keep it that way.”

“Ah! Brilliant.” Thor beamed when he realized what Tony was saying. “We must hit those greedy bastards where it counts.”

That seemed to spark a train of thought in Bruce. “Historically, when a nation’s military and government are kept separate, a country could be taken over by the military if they disagree with how the government is running things, since they have the firepower and the government had nothing but loyalty keeping them on their side. Fury has a lot of power, it wouldn't be hard for him to strong arm his way through to ultimate power.”

“You are saying we should plant evidence that Fury is planning to overthrow the government and take power with the strength of the military?” Thor verified.

“Exactly.”

“If we go that route, we wouldn't have to do much in the way of providing evidence.” Tony said thoughtfully. “We just have to leak one or two reliable sources. Then the root of suspicion and distrust will sink deep. Even if they didn't think Fury would actually go through with it, the idea will be in their heads. The Council will recognize that if he did want to take over, they couldn't stop him. Realize it's dangerous for them not to keep him on a short leash.”

“They'd come to those conclusions on their own, too. That's the power of paranoia.” Bruce added. “Our influence could be nearly subliminal. Indirect. We just need to plant the seed and it will grow fast all by itself. Like a predatory vine.”

“Can your contact fabricate a job request in which they were asked to research Core World defense system layouts and weaknesses, with time stamps to match?” Tony asked.

“Yeah. I can also create convincing plans indicating planets that would be strategically valuable to take control of in a military takeover.”

“I think we will need something more, in addition.” Thor clasped his hands. “Something irrefutable. Fury could explain that this was research to improve the Core World defenses in case of hostile takeover. We need something to leave them no shred of doubt.”

“Can we fabricate a video of Fury saying something damning?” Tony suggested.

Bruce shook his head. “They’d take that apart in a second. It's impossible to fabricate a video perfect enough to fool software designed to detect fabricated video.”

The three of them sat there thoughtfully for a while. Brains wracking over this problem. Running through scenarios. What was there that Fury couldn't deny? Or at least, not strongly? What was strong enough to make his argument look weak?

“What we need is a person.” It dawned on Tony. “A face. Someone to tell the Council directly that he was privy to Fury’s plans. Someone known for the fact that he would never in a million years even _consider_ betraying Fury, nevermind doing something as illegal as providing false evidence and framing a man.”

“…oh god, Tony. You don't mean…?”

“I do mean.”

Tony stood up from the workbench, and started for the door.

“We need Steve Rogers.”

 

For the good soldier he was, Steve didn't look much better than the rest of them in the aftermath of the mission update. As Tony, Bruce and Thor stepped through the sliding door into the dark rec room, they could see it in his face. The haunted, haggard expression. The dark eye circles. They all saw that in the mirror.

The room was mostly empty, considering it held mostly boring strategy games; the typical marine preferred a nice alien shooter or holo girl sim. Steve was leaning over a large, round console; flat surface, with bright blue dots dancing in the air above it. It looked like random chaos, but Tony knew Steve saw patterns in it. A good strategist had to. Tony knew he could find the patterns too if he had the time to look at it.

“Captain.” Tony greeted the blonde giant. “We need to talk.”

Steve glanced up tiredly, the blue glow of the holograms in the darkness giving him a sickly tone. “I'm not in the mood, Stark.”

“Long day at work, honey?” Tony stepped up to the console and leaned his hip against it, arms folded. Bruce timidly joined him, and Thor rested his hands on the console, leaning over it.

Steve glanced around the rec room. There were a few other elite marines scattered about at various game consoles, mostly captains like Steve. But they were out of earshot if they kept their voices down. “I know you don't like it, Tony. But we’re just soldiers. We follow orders. Even if we don't like the orders.”

“So you admit you don't like it either?” Tony asked.

“I didn't say that.”

“Steve, come on. I _know_ you see how bad this is.” Tony prodded. “Killing an enemy that wants to kill us first? That's one thing. But these are innocent Protoss scientists, they have no quarrel with us.”

“It doesn't matter. The Director made the call, we carry it out. That's what we all signed up to do.”

“But why should one man get to make that call?” Bruce put in gently. “What if he made the wrong call?”

“I'm sure he's not making this decision lightly.”

“So you really think he made the right decision?” Tony asked.

Steve was silent for a moment, and then sighed. “Leadership involves making hard decisions sometimes.”

“You know I know that.” Tony said with meaning. “But a decision that involves killing innocent people is _never_ the right one. There has to be another way.”

Steve pinched the bridge of his nose, eyes closed. Face a pillar of stress and exhaustion. “What do you want from me, Tony?”

“I just want you to admit Fury is wrong.”

Steve opened his eyes and regarded him, sliding his gaze slowly over the others as well. Thor was sullenly staring into the holograms, eyes filled with hundreds of glowing blue dots like stars. Bruce was looking down at the floor, discomfort emanating from his body language. But Tony never removed his stubborn gaze from his captain’s face.

“Yes…” Steve’s voice was barely a whisper. “I think it's the wrong decision.”

The trio let out sighs of relief.

“But it doesn't matter what I think.” Steve looked down at his hands. “We can't stop it. Not without causing the deaths of other innocent people.” It sounded like Steve had let himself think about it. About trying to stop it. Enough to think through the alternative scenarios. Not such a good, obedient soldier after all.

“We agree.” Bruce said. “We don't have any intention of trying to stop it.”

“Then what do you have in mind?”

 

That simulated night, as Tony and Loki made love and then settled down to sleep, Tony worked hard not to think about his treacherous plans. He didn't need Loki picking up any thoughts of it; it would put the man in an impossible situation, having to choose between loyalty and lover. He didn't need that weight. He didn't need any more stress. So any time the subject threatened to surface in his mind, he turned his thoughts to something else.

In the end, it wasn't difficult to keep it from his mind. It was so easy to get wrapped up in Loki. The feel of his skin, his scent, his eyes, tangling his fingers in his hair… As Tony held the man tight in his arms, he felt the beating of his heart against his chest, and it lulled him easily into sleep.

 

_The explosion burst in Tony’s ears. The pain of shrapnel shooting into his skin like thousands of tiny needles as he fell through the air, landing hard in the rocks. His ears rang and the screams and shouting and gunfire around him were muffled. His body was numb and he couldn't will his muscles to respond. As he felt himself losing consciousness, the darkness eating at the edges of his sight, he wished he could have worn his power armor. Wished he had never took on this stupid mission, crawling through these stone tunnels. This rocky grave. Of all the ways to go…_

_Loki stood bristling in the living room. His mother had tears in her eyes, his father unable to meet Loki’s gaze._

_“Why didn't you **tell** me?” He choked out. “You knew all this time and you let me suffer in **ignorance**.”_

_“We were just trying to keep you safe, Loki…” Frigga’s voice wobbled. “If you knew, you might let it slip, and if the wrong ears heard, SHIELD would take you away from us!”_

_“I **killed** people!” Loki cried desperately. “People **died** because I didn't know!”_

_“Son, you have no idea the lengths we had to go to…” Odin said. “What I had to do to falsify your psi index test. We couldn't risk you knowing. You had to believe it was something else.”_

_“You really think it was worth it?” Loki’s voice was bordering hysterical. “You really think SHIELD taking me would have been worse than living in naivety, wanting to kill myself for what I've done?”_

_“Loki, please-”_

_“You let me become a **monster**!”_

_Tony drifted in and out of consciousness, dark shapes flickering at the edge of his vision. Dust caked everything, he could feel it in his lungs. His body screamed in throbbing pain, sharp pain. Everywhere. There wasn't a part of him that didn't hurt. Could feel something sticky dripping down his forehead._

_His head was too fuzzy to think. He had brief moments of panic; remembering he needed to get up and get out of here. But they drifted away as soon as they came, blended into thoughts of the moments before the sun came out, drizzling in through the windows, bathing his raven-haired lover beside him in warm orange hues…_

_Loki stormed down the street. It was raining, the droplets heavy and blinding and soaking his hair. But he didn't care. He had nothing on him except his small backpack with only his most precious belongings. An old stuffed lyote plush toy from Thor when they were kids that Thor really loved but he wanted his brother to have it more, the pretty vintage ring that didn't fit his mother anymore so she tried to throw it away but Loki took it from the garbage because it always made him think of her, the Walkman with his name engraved that Tony fixed and customized for him…_

_He didn't need anything else. Not right now. Tony would provide necessities. Maybe he could send for the rest of his things someday, if his father didn't get rid of them in an attempt to erase him from memory._

_The rain washed his tears away as his anger burned within him, his belly twinged with guilt and regret and mourning the fact that he was leaving his poor mother, who although lied to him, still loved him more than anything. And Thor, who hadn't been home when he confronted their parents, had no idea what was going on. Wouldn't understand when he got home and found his little brother gone…_

_Men were shouting, in some strange language Tony couldn't distinguish. He felt himself being grabbed by rough, strong hands and lifted, boots scuffing against the stone, the blood rushing to his head, just before he passed out again…_

_A stinging sensation erupted from Loki’s neck, spiraling out like lighting. Before he could process what was happening, his arms and legs became heavy and he collapsed onto the wet cement of the sidewalk with a sickening thud, the world going dark in an instant…_

_Tony awoke to water splashing over his head. Felt himself gasping for air, trembling with shock. He was lightheaded and disoriented, but realized he was chained to the wall. He squinted into the light, eyes bleary. He could barely make out the image of a large man speaking sharply to him, but he didn't understand the words._

_The man tossed the water bucket on the ground violently, tone angry, and strode away. Leaving Tony to his rocky, cold prison…_

_Loki slowly came to as the vehicle hit bumps in the road. His head was fuzzy, and he felt nauseous from the forward motion. He wanted to rub his eye, but he quickly realized his hands were bound together behind him. Panic rose in his stomach and he looked around wildly at the blurry, human shapes seated around him._

_He pulled at the cuffs and tried to push himself to his feet, but something hard connected with his skull and he was out again…_

_Tony was half-dragged, trying to keep up, by the chains around his wrists. The stony caverns were dark and he was still feeling dizzy, but if he tripped and fell again he would have to face his captor’s steel-toed boot, and he had enough bruises as it was…_

_Loki drifted in and out of consciousness as he was tossed over some large person’s shoulder and carried out of the vehicle. The world swam and his head pounded and his stomach threatened to empty as he was jerked around, carried through some dark hallways…_

_Tony was forced onto a stone platform and chained to it, the metal biting at his flesh, rock cold under his bare torso. He didn't have the strength to fight it. He saw shapes and heard footsteps around him, heard people arguing in their odd tongue. A fire crackled, and it would be comforting if he didn't hear the sound of something metal hissing within…_

_Loki awoke properly to find himself bound by straps to a tilted table, blinding light shining down on him, strange equipment beeping quietly around him. He heard hushed voices, but couldn't make out what they were saying…_

_Tony had no idea what exactly the foreign words meant, but it didn't matter. The tone was universal. Their demanding voices. They wanted something from Tony. Pointed at a torn, burned picture of a weapon. He felt a chill running through him when he realized it was one of the more devastating weapons created by Stark Industries. He heard his name a few times, and he understood what they wanted._

_But he shook his head, and the tone became angry._

_That's when the beatings began. The gut punches that he couldn't curl his body to recover from because he was chained to a rock. The hard kicks to the shins, the fist to the face that no doubt broke his nose…_

_They were cutting him open. He was awake and they were cutting him open. Loki wanted to cry out but he couldn't move. He was paralyzed. As the masked person with the frightening goggles and the scalpel sliced open his throat, he felt every second of it. The agonizing sting and the burn and the hot blood running down his neck. The horror and the cold twisting in his stomach, mind fuzzy and ears ringing._

_He passed out from the pain, just as he felt them pushing something cold into the incision…_

_It felt like it went on for days. As Tony drifted between consciousness and unconsciousness, fatigued by blood loss and the fact that his captors hadn't fed him anything since they brought him here. His body was bruised and felt mashed to a pulp. But he was determined not to let them win. They wouldn't get what they wanted. They wouldn't make him lose his dignity…_

_He could feel the stitches tugging at the skin on his throat. His muscles were responsive again. He tugged at the wrist restraints and sobbed, begging for release. For an end to this nightmare._

_But it was far from over._

_They had stuck sensors all over his body, and he could hear the beeping of the feedback. He heard some order of confirmation from somewhere in the darkness, the hiss of a lever; and suddenly his body was filled with white hot pain and his back arched as he screamed…_

_He didn't want to give in. He held out as long as he could. Teeth gritted against the pain. But they pushed his head underwater too often. Dug scalpels into his finger tips too deep. Held the burning metal to his ribs too long. There was only so much a man could take before he couldn't stop himself from screaming…_

_The white hot pain transformed into a fiery dragon erupting from his bones, ripping itself from his flesh and forcing itself from his body. Green light blinded him through his eyelids as he screamed, the sound of electricity bursting, agonized screams joining his and the smell of burnt machinery and flesh filled the air…_

_He really thought he was going to die. He wanted to die. The pain was unbearable and he just wanted it to **stop**. Just as the hot iron came for him again, as he felt it would be the last time before his body gave out; an explosion wracked the cavern, and the room was filled with shouts, his torturers abandoning him…_

_The intense pain was gone, all energy drained from his body, and he was limp against the table. The awful yet sickeningly familiar smell of burned flesh and electronics filled his nostrils. His stomach convulsed and he threw his head as far forward and away from his body as he could against the bonds to vomit. Not much came out, and he found himself dry heaving. Body wracked with pain and burning. Eyes streaming, nose stuffed up. The sharp smell of bile combining with the other acrid scents wafting through the air…_

_Tony felt as the chains, which had rubbed his skin raw, were ripped from him. He felt strong hands on him, and found himself looking into the brown eyes of an angel._

_“How was the fun-vee?” Rhodey asked, tears of relief threatening to fall._

_Tony’s tears did fall. Sobs wracked his body as he planted his head on his best friend’s chest, cradled in his arms; a flood of relief draining from every fiber of his being as he gripped the shirt of his savior._

_“Next time you ride with me, okay?” Rhodey held him tight._

_Loki’s ears rang, eyes full of stars, dazed and drained. He heard quiet footfalls and his head bobbed weakly in their direction. A dark man with an eyepatch stepped out of the shadows and into the harsh light; hands clasped behind his back._

_“Welcome to the Ghost Program.”_

 

Tony was shaken awake by hands on him, and he gasped and shot straight up. His mind was still filled with images of explosions, of water in his lungs, of smoldering metal. He shook violently, and felt the cold sweat sticking to his skin.

“…you're okay, Tony. You're in your room.” He heard a soft voice in his ear. “You're safe.”

Tony swallowed, breathing out slowly, willing the stress from his bones, letting the words ground him. There was no cave. There was no torture. He was safe. He finally brought himself to look over at the person holding him, and slowly the memories of the night returned. Glowing green eyes filled with concern. A gentle hand rubbing his back.

Loki, pale in the darkness. Would be a more comforting sight, if he didn't look as spooked as Tony felt.

“I assume you slept as well as I did.” Tony managed to get out, trying to keep his voice from wobbling.

“Doesn't matter. Are you alright? Do you need anything?” Loki asked.

Tony shrugged, leaning back against the pillow and sighing. He rested his arm on Loki’s lower back where he still sat forward, gazing back at him. “I just need to think about something else. What did you dream about?” It didn't need to be said. He knew, even if Loki was about as willing to admit it as the last time. He’d seen it, as their nightmares melded together.

Loki was silent for a moment before finally saying, “My capture.”

Tony was surprised at the truth that came from Loki’s lips. He was expecting lies. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“I can't, even if I wanted to.”

Tony was thoughtful as he felt his own heartbeat start to calm. Quiet for a long while. He had something he’d been wanting to ask Loki since day one of his return at the tip of his tongue. “Do you think it's my fault you got caught by SHIELD?” He finally managed.

Loki frowned, tilting his head quizzically. “Why do you say that?”

“I made you aware that you had psionic powers, and soon after that, they took you.”

“Tony, they probably found me because they had a Wrangler nearby when I lashed out psionically at my attackers.”

“…a what?”

Loki lay back, gazing up at the ceiling. “The psionic scale is a spectrum. As you know, everyone is tested as a child to determine where they fall on the psi index. Anyone from 1 to 2 on the psi index is a powerless human.” He began. “As we go up the scale, different powers manifest. Those between 5 and 6 often exhibit telepathic powers; we call them Teeps at the Academy. 6 to 8 and beyond often have telekinetic powers, which we call Teeks. But people between 2 and 5 on the scale, although they do not have powers, are still considered psionic for their ability to hear and detect other psionics. We call these Wranglers, as they are used to find and capture other people with psionic powers hidden in society.”

Tony gazed at him thoughtfully. That was interesting and useful information, but it got him thinking… “Has anyone below 2 on the psi index ever had even slight psionic abilities?”

Loki’s eyes drifted up considerately. “Not that I’m aware of. Why?”

He didn't let the thought drift too loudly, willing Loki not to look into his mind right now. But Tony wondered if it was possible. Could he have even the slightest psionic ability, enough to feel Loki’s emotions? But if so, why couldn't he feel anything from the other Ghosts? This created more questions than answers, and he was too tired to work through them right now.

“Nothing. Let's get back to sleep.”

Loki eyed him suspiciously, but allowed himself to be pulled back down under the covers without another word.

 

Tony woke up to simulated sunlight alone. He found himself frowning when he realized it, and wondered when Loki had left. He would have liked to snuggle with him for a bit. Arms aching to squeeze him tight. He sighed and pushed himself out of bed.

He quickly showered and dressed in record time. There was a lot to do today. He had Rhodey’s legs to work on, and the flash drive with the data should be completing soon. He didn't know exactly when they would arrive at Azharu, so he needed to get everything done sooner than later.

When he finally stumbled out of his room, hair still damp, he was surprised to find a familiar form leaning against the rail that looked down on the bustling main hall below. It was Loki; wearing his pants from yesterday and one of Tony’s band t-shirts that was a little too big for him. A cloud of vapor curled away from him, and Tony realized he was holding a pen between his fingers.

“You still use?” Tony asked as he walked up and leaned against the rail to look at the man. Loki looked extremely tired. The bruising from the other day dark purple against his pale skin. But Tony couldn't help a little fluttering in his chest when he looked at him, wearing his black L800ETCT-shirt. It was adorable.

“Not usually.” Loki took another drag and breathed the vapor out into the air, watching it slowly drift down and dissipate.

Tony had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. That look in Loki’s eyes… he hadn't seen that in 12 years. “I know that face.” His voice was soft.

Loki glanced at him, expression quizzical.

“That face you make when you're tired of dealing with shit. It's the first face I ever saw from you.” Tony explained. “I hoped I'd never see you like that again.”

“Yeah, well… we never did get our happy ending.”

The truth of that stabbed Tony in the heart, and he sighed, looking down at his feet. “I know there's something really wrong. I know you're hurting, and I know you can't tell me why.” He said quietly.

Loki swallowed, eyes downcast. “I truly wish I could, Tony. It hurts, not to be able to tell you everything.”

Tony’s eyebrows stitched sadly. He stepped over and wrapped his arms around the man, holding him from behind, resting his head on his shoulder.

“You've always been there, ready to take on my issues as your own…” Loki said softly, resting his free hand on Tony’s arm. “And you've never asked for anything in return.”

“All I need is you.” Tony answered, nuzzling the side of his neck, no doubt tickling him with his beard.

They stayed like that for a while. Tony holding Loki tight, never wanting to let go. Loki leaning into his touch, never wanting to be let go. Maybe both of them were afraid that if they let go, they would never hold each other again. That the forces of the universe gathering around them would rip them apart, tossing them in different directions once again.

So they both reveled in the closeness, drinking in each other's scent, soaking in the warmth. Feeling their spirits twist around each other, embraced at a level that no one could tear them apart.

 

Bruce and Tony sat beside each other at the workbench, the flash drive in front of them. Such a tiny thing; to think it could hold anything so large as a top secret government project. It looked so innocent, but if anyone knew they had it, Tony and Bruce would be worse than iced.

“Moment of truth?” Tony said.

“You're positive we’re secure?”

“I checked everything over 6 times today.”

“Alright. Then here we go.”

Bruce flicked his hand over the device, and holograms burst from it, filling the air in front of them. A list of files, all under a primary folder titled 'Project Shadowblade' _._ Bruce swiped to open up several files at once, and soon images and data were floating around them. They both turned their heads to glance over each one, looking for something interesting. Something that told them what Project Shadowblade _was_.

Tony frowned as he gazed at one image in particular. It was a diagram for some form of specialized gas extractor made to collect a substance Tony had never heard of. “What the hell is terrazine?”

“I have no idea.” Bruce grabbed a different file and brought it closer. “This one mentioned something about it too…” He studied it, eyes flicking over the words. “Looks like it's some sort of… psionic reagent?”

“What the fuck does that mean?”

“I don't know. This other file has written notes that mention it needs to be stabilized with something called jorium or it… causes psychotic episodes? What the hell are they using this for that they would need to worry about something like that?”

“Well, it can’t be a chemical weapon if they _don't_ want it to cause psychosis. I've got plans here for something called a psionic waveform indoctrinator.” Tony looked mystified. “It has chambers labeled for terrazine and jorium.”

“Tony… does the main chamber look like it would fit a human perfectly inside or is it just me?”

Tony’s eyes widened, realizing Bruce was right. The large chamber even had a pillow, and what looked like body restraints inside. “What the hell are they doing? What do these substances _do_ to people?”

“There are some video files in this other folder.” Bruce said. “Maybe they’ll have test records and we’ll see for ourselves what it does.”

“Alright, open them.”

As soon as the air began to fill with floating videos, Tony started to regret opening this can of worms.

To their horror, all of the videos featured people; test subjects; as they were exposed to what Tony assumed was the terrazine, a purple gas. Immediately, each of them became visibly agitated. Some screamed about voices, some became paranoid and cried hysterically, some broke out of their bonds and lashed out at the scientists. One video showed an autopsy of a test subject that had died as a result of the treatment. Others showed test subjects, apparently further along the line of treatment, being tortured, seemingly via electrical shock. Their screams of agony were chilling.

“Oh… god. Tony…” Bruce’s voice cracked, eyes wide with horror as he pointed at one of the videos. Tony blinked and looked over to where he was pointing… and his heart nearly stopped.

It was Loki. Younger, perhaps three years after he had disappeared. He was strapped to a table, and his body was arched and spazzing and twisted in agony as electrical currents were sent through his body. The pain in his face was intense, tears streaming from his eyes. He looked like the Loki he saw in the dream days ago… pale and worn and close to death. His screams were unholy, jarring and sent cold shivers up their spines. Suddenly, green energy burst out of him and consumed the room, tearing instruments apart and burning a scientist that got too close before the feed shorted out.

Tony had his hand over his mouth in shock long after the video had gone dark. It had caused flashbacks of their shared nightmare last night. He knew the pain Loki felt in that video. He’d felt it in the dream.

“ _Jesus_.” Bruce breathed. “Tony, I-”

“Are there any other files on Loki in here?” Tony interrupted, voice shaking.

“I'll run a search.” Bruce said, plugging in the command.

“What did they do to you, Loki?” Tony murmured, shaking his head in disbelief.

“I found a few files. No more videos, but they seem to be test results regarding terrazine treatment. Some brain scans too.”

“Can you figure out what they were trying to accomplish?”

“Well… they seem to be measuring the outburst of psionic energy that erupts from him when he's in pain. It… layering them by time stamp… it looks like…”

“He became more powerful with the treatments.” It dawned on Tony. “Psionic reagent. Terrazine and jorium must enhance psionic powers. That's why Loki has glowing eyes now, that's why he's more powerful than when I knew him. They put his psionic powers on turbo.”

“It looks like they're calling Ghosts enhanced by the treatments ‘Spectres’.” Bruce noted as he read more deeply into the data. “It's… Project Shadowblade is basically a stealth supersoldier program.”

“Didn't Wanda mention something about her Ghost father going crazy? The notes said that if the terrazine isn't properly stabilized by the jorium, it can cause the subject to go insane. What if that's what happened to him?”

“It would make sense.” Bruce nodded. “And for those who do make it through the treatment with their sanity intact… they rise a few levels on the psi index, according to these time-stamped charts. They become more powerful.”

“They made you into a weapon, Loki.” Tony said, nearly a whisper. “You already felt like a monster. I can't even imagine what this did to you.”

“I can see why they were focused on Loki.” Bruce said, gazing at a file. “It looks like he was just above a natural 8 on the psi index, the most powerful psionic known. The treatments brought him to 10. _Way_ off the charts and higher than anything recorded that wasn't a Protoss.”

Tony shook his head. “I think they're still working on him, too. He’s had these ‘meetings’ that he looks terrified to go to, and when he comes back he looks like shit.”

“They probably want to see just how far they can push him.”

“Well, that's their biggest mistake.” Tony said bitterly. “They should have stopped while they were ahead; Loki seems like he's hanging on by a string. They're going to break him.” Tony planted his head in his hands. The cold chill of the awful reveal crawling up from his stomach. “God, Loki. This is what you've been trying to keep from me.”

“I’m sure he doesn't want to keep it from you.” Bruce said softly. “This project is as top secret as it gets. If he told you, he’d risk you getting imprisoned for life.”

“I know. I don't blame him, it's just… god.”

“Yeah…”

“What the hell do we do with this?”

“Nothing.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

“Tony…” Bruce sighed. “I know you have a personal investment in this, but we can't let anyone know that we know about it. Loki has been sacrificing his own comfort to keep it a secret. It will all have been in vain if you bulldoze ahead.”

The fire in Tony’s belly quelled. “You're right… I just… it's not fair. I can't see him like this. And now that I know what's going on…”

“I know. But you're going to have to hold out. Wait until we put our plan in motion to get Fury taken out. Then we can find a way to take this horrible program down and get Loki out.”

“I just hope he can hold out until then.”

“He’ll hold out as long as he needs to.” Bruce said confidently. “As long as he knows you're there for him.”

Tony smiled sadly. “Maybe… if we’re successful. If we get Loki out… we can retire to some nice planet, like we planned to 12 years ago.”

Bruce put a hand on Tony’s shoulder comfortingly. “Keep that dream alive, Tony. You'll get there, and all of this will be nothing more than a bad memory one day.”

Tony pat Bruce’s hand and nodded, honestly feeling touched.

“Thanks, buddy.”

 

Planet Azharu. A golden ball with swirling white clouds and small, scattered lakes. Made Tony think of Arius-3. What he saw when he first arrived in orbit around that planet. It was almost a comfort. Almost.

Everyone who was privy to exactly what they were about to do felt sick to their stomach the moment they exited warp space. The planet suddenly in view. Phase 2 began now. They were on a timer that could not be slowed. The Zerg would arrive soon, following their psionic scent trail. More Zerg than any of them had seen in their entire career.

“The Zerg are a few hours out.” Fury was saying, hands clasped behind his back. “I've already dispatched Wraith squadrons to check for Protoss Observers, and it seems we’re in the clear. The main troops set out in 30 minutes to start laying down the bunkers. Everything will be ready by the time your team sets down.”

“Make sure each bunker is protected by Siege Tanks.” Steve’s voice had no vigor or heart. Sounded like someone who just wanted to get something unpleasant over with. “And we’re going to need missile turrets to control the Zerg’s air support.”

Tony found himself drifting away as they discussed the finer details. Found himself drifting back to the discovery he and Bruce had made, not worrying about anyone overhearing his thoughts in the psi-dampened control room. He found himself glancing over at Loki where he stood beside the Director; everything taking on a new light now that he knew what the man had been subjected to. Tony burned with anger as he gazed at the man he loved, a broken shell wearing a mask, standing beside the man who had brought him so much pain and suffering. Tony wanted to kill Fury for what he’s done. For what he was about to do.

“-Loki will be covered by Thor and-”

Tony snapped his attention back, and realized Steve was putting them in teams. Their names floating in the air. Vision with Bruce and Sam, Stephen with Steve and Natasha, Wanda with Clint and Tony, Loki with just Thor in the absence of Rhodey. Tony knew they had to split up so that each of the four Ghosts could activate their respective psi emitters a ways away from each other, but he hadn't really considered the idea that he might end up separated from Loki. He felt a tight panic forming in his gut at the idea. How was he suppose to protect Loki if he wasn't with him?

When the meeting disbanded, Tony went up to ask Steve to put him with Loki instead.

“I'm sorry, Tony, but I can't.” Steve shook his head. “If Rhodey were here and the teams were even, I would. But Thor with his Marauder suit is the most suited to protecting Loki alone.”

Tony couldn't really argue with that logic.

“Besides, it won't be for long. We’ll be joining up for extraction when all the Zerg reach the surface.”

“Do you really think we’re gonna survive til extraction, cap?” Tony asked, gazing out the window at the planet below. “There's going to be tens of billions of Zerg. Tens of _billions_. We barely made it off Koton.”

“We’ll have the army around us this time.” Steve assured him. “Bunkers and Siege Tanks and all that. We likely won't have to do much fighting ourselves. We’re just the insurance.”

Tony nodded slowly. “We have to survive this, Steve. If we don't, there won't be anyone alive to stop Fury.”

“We’ll make it, Tony.”

Tony wished he believed him.

 

Two hours later, Steve’s squad and the Ghosts stood in the hangar. Those with power armor were about ready to start suiting up, Natasha and Clint heading over to their respective aircrafts, and the Ghosts holding their masks under their arms. The air was tense and silent. No one wanted to be doing this. Morality aside, after their experience on Koton, none of them were exactly anxious to be surrounded by unimaginable numbers of Zerg again.

Tony looked around for Loki, hoping to get a few minutes in with him before they had to suit up, before they separated to board their respective dropships. He had a lingering wish, after that shocking reveal yesterday, that he could tell Loki he knew all about Project Shadowblade now. That he knew what Loki went through. That he wasn't alone. That Tony was there to help.

He frowned when he finally spotted the man; he was a little ways away from the group, pacing around in the shadow of the big hangar wall. His body language betrayed his apparent agitation.

“Loki?” Tony called softly to him as he approached.

Loki glanced at him. Those vibrant green eyes weren't doing much to hide his distress. “Yes?”

“You okay?”

“Fine. Why wouldn't I be fine?” He was talking too fast. Tony felt the tension.

“You're um… you look stressed?”

“I'm not, I’m perfectly- ah, fuck.” Loki leaned against the wall, grasping at his chest with one hand, and Tony realized the man was hyperventilating and trembling.

Tony’s eyes widened in surprise and he dashed over, grabbing him by the arm. “Hey, hey; what's wrong?”

“I-I can't do this.” Loki stammered, eyes glazed over and far away. He started sinking to the floor, but Tony had a grip on his shirt and held him upright. “Oh gods why, please…”

“What are you talking about?” Tony was starting to get freaked out. He glanced over at the others, but they were too far away to call to attention, and no one was looking in their direction. So he turned back to Loki and placed a hand on his cheek. “Loki, talk to me, please.”

“I can't, I can't- I'm not ready- I don't wanna lose you again-”

“What are you talking about? You're not gonna lose me.” Tony’s eyebrows were stitched in concern. “Everything is gonna be okay, Loki.”

Those green eyes slowly met Tony’s brown ones, the far away look starting to come back down to earth, grounding in his gaze. He gripped Tony’s wrist with one hand, and the other he brought up to his own neck and squeezed it absently. A cold sweat dripping from his forehead. Loki opened his mouth, but nothing came out; his face twisted in effort, like he was trying really hard to speak but couldn't for some reason.

“Loki?”

“I want to tell you… but I _can't_.” Loki pinched the area of his neck that was scarred. The scar Tony noticed when he was treating his wounds in his dorm. The area, Tony realized with shock, that was cut open in their shared nightmare the other night. “I can't…” His voice was hardly a whisper.

Tony didn't understand. He knew Loki really wanted to tell him something, but he couldn't. He felt an overwhelming flood of despair as he gazed into those sad, green eyes; sheer panic replaced by dull defeat.

Then, Loki closed his eyes, letting the last of the panic attack flow out of him, and pressed forward to embrace Tony, burying his face in Tony's neck. Tony felt surprised and terribly confused, feeling Loki’s flood of sadness overwhelm him. But he wrapped his arms around the man and held him tight. “It's going to be okay, Loki.” He murmured.

They stayed like that until the alarm for boarding sounded, and stayed like that until they heard Steve yell to Tony to get his suit on. At that, Tony gently broke free, cupping Loki’s face in his hands. “We’re going to make it out. I'll protect you. Okay?”

Loki gazed at him sadly, took Tony’s hands in his, and turned his face to kiss one of them. Then he pulled them away, letting them drop; twined fingers lingering for a moment before releasing them and backing away.

“Just stay alive, Stark. Please.” He dipped his head, and turned away. Tony frowned as he watched him head back to the group. Arms empty. Feeling mystified.

“I have a bad feeling.” Loki’s voice carried over his shoulder before he was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... what are you gonna bring to the Ghost potluck?


	9. The Shadow Walk

The surface of Azharu was hot and dry and reminded many of Arius-3. It was midday, the orange sun high in the sky and roasting this side of the planet. Tony had his faceplate up for the moment, breathing in the atmosphere. It tasted more dry than Arius-3, but less dusty. The wind didn't travel here like it did there. But it was familiar enough, and that was almost a comfort. Arius-3 had almost become a home, for a while. He could pretend that this was just another day on patrol. Pretend, for the moment, that nothing in the last several days had actually happened.

He looked about at his surroundings. Currently, he stood next to the planted psi emitter, its feet dug into the ground for stability, on top of which Wanda sat cross-legged. She wasn't wearing her mask currently, goggles up on her head. Her eyes were closed as she concentrated on manipulating the Khaydarin crystal within the machine. The light blue waves of psionic energy faintly drifted out of the amplification chamber and up into the sky. It made Tony shiver to think that this was here to call down a vast army of Zerg, like a Ghost calling down a nuke. Generally, sane people didn't call alien monsters to come kill them like some 'buffet half off' sign.

He glanced up into the sky. Still no sign of the aliens, according to the sensors. Scattered across his vision, hundreds of ships hovered above the base. Wraiths, Vikings, Banshees. Hovering above the edges of the base or flying back and forth on patrol. Clint’s Wraith hovered just above Tony and Wanda, their guardian in the sky. He was currently not cloaked, to conserve energy.

   
([Original Image](http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/starcraft/images/9/93/Viking_SC2_Cncpt1.jpg))

Turning his eyes downward, he gazed around the grounds of the base. SCVs; general-purpose engineering machines driven by pilots; collected minerals and worked on securing resource depots. Bunkers full of marines with giant missile launchers mounted on top surrounded the outer edges. Siege tanks rooted in Siege mode spread out around them. Missile turrets stood tall, filling in the gaps, their detector scanners on high alert. Squadrons of Marines, Firebats, and Marauders with their accompanying Medics patrolled. The towering Goliaths walking on their two massive legs to get to their positions. Even a few clusters of lesser Ghosts waited around in the shadows of the supply depots.

   
([Full Image](https://i.ibb.co/rkVp3Ls/bunker.png))

  
([Full Image](https://i.ibb.co/nQPLYhH/siegetank.png))

  
([Full Image](https://i.ibb.co/XDdPBzt/missileturret.png))

  
([Full Image](https://i.ibb.co/kMtdJVB/firebat.png))

  
([Full Image](https://i.ibb.co/q5n3WsS/goliath.png))

This base was as heavily guarded as it got. Something to cover everyone’s ass. Squadrons of soldiers of all forms of skills with all forms of tools necessary to keep an unending swarm of aliens from breaching the base they protected. The best you could hope for, to fight off the inevitable tide.

They had all been waiting for four hours, now, and people were starting to get antsy. It briefly crossed Tony’s mind that maybe they managed to lose the Zerg on the journey. That maybe they wouldn't have to face this horror after all. Maybe they could all go home.

You’d think he’d have learned by now, not to let hope into his heart. What little had found purchase dried up and blew away when the sky began to darken, the screams of an endless sea of monsters entering the atmosphere.

 

“Drop pod landed inside the base, east side.”

“Copy, I'm on it.”

Tony pulled down his faceplate and dashed off, gun at the ready. Massive sacs that looked like jellyfish had been landing in a green splatter around the base, and each one was filled with Zerglings that burst out of the gore and wreaked havoc on the SCVs that were trying to repair damaged machinery.

  
([Full Image](https://i.ibb.co/FJKRJJC/scv.png))

Three Zerglings were screeching and dashing after an SCV. One of them made a flying leap and landed on the machine, forcing it into a faceplant as it tore at the metal with its clawed appendages and teeth.

“I'm locked in here tighter than a frog's butt in a watermelon seed fight!” The pilot of the SCV shouted frantically in his southern twang, trying to push the machine back up to its feet.

Tony boost jumped and sent a shot down from the air, ripping straight through the Zergling’s skull and sending blood and green bile splattering across the SCV. “Alright, it's gonna kill me. What the hell does that even mean?” Tony asked as he slashed the second Zergling with his bayonet as it leapt at him, severing its head from its neck.

“If I’m bein’ truthful, I just spit out baloney and hope it sound like it means summin’.” The SCV pilot pushed his machine to its feet, checking the systems for damage.

Tony took a flying boost leap into the air before coming down hard on the last Zergling, crushing it under his suit’s giant metal feet with a sickening crunch.

“Hey; yer an elite engineer, right?” The pilot asked. “Ya’ll know anything about them rumored secret cup holders in these things? Kinda summin’ of a legend in ma-”

“Pull the little switch under the A/C dial to the left.”

There was silence over the intercom for a moment before the pilot’s overjoyed shout crackled. “Aw, hell yeah!”

“SceeVees.” Tony muttered to himself. Zergling threat taken care of, he started heading back to his post at the psi emitter. “How are you doing, Maximoff?”

“Tired.” Wanda said honestly. “What is the status on the Zerg count?”

“137 billion on the surface.” Clint responded. “No more exiting warp space. Drops have slowed to a trickle. We’ll be done here soon. Can you hang in there?”

“I'll manage.”

Gunfire constantly filled the air. Lasers and missiles and flamethrowers and grenades exploding. They’d all been locked into this fight for 6 hours, the sun starting to dip closer to the horizon. As time went by, the barriers of the base had begun to give, forcing the SCVs to drop Bunkers closer to the center, Marines and Siege Tanks falling back. The circle tightening around them. Beyond the barrier, thousands of downed and destroyed power suits, Siege Tanks and Goliaths littered the surrounding area, flooded over by endless swarms of Zerglings, Banelings and Hydralisks. Mutalisks, Overlords, Brood Lords and Scourges filled the sky like a bird swarm from hell. Surviving soldiers and machines were run down and covered in gore and Baneling bile. Several SCVs sent to the front to repair the Siege Tanks and Bunkers got caught in the crossfire. Everyone was beyond exhausted. They couldn't hold out much longer. It was just a matter of time before the Zerg breached the barrier and flooded in, before the Terrans were unable to scramble to patch the holes anymore.

Suddenly, a large group of Mutalisks broke through the air support barrier. They were chased down by the Vikings, but a few came soaring in the direction of the psi reactor, maws screaming. Clint pulled up and sent missiles flying at them, while Tony shot at them from below. Several exploded into a bloody cloud of gore in the air. The remaining monsters shot their glaive wurms at Clint, who neatly dodged them.

“Cloak, Clint!” Tony shouted.

“Then they’ll come after you and Wanda.” Clint said calmly, firing at the monsters as they barraged his ship. Warnings blared as his vessel took damage. He shot down one of the Mutalisks, which fell to the earth and hit the ground in a splattering thud. Tony got another one down the ovipositor; it screamed in pain as he shot rounds through its wings, and it plummeted as well.

Suddenly, a glaive wurm shot through the air, past Clint and straight in the direction of Wanda. “Look out!” Clint shouted in warning.

Tony didn't stop to think. He boost-jumped into the air, intercepting the projectile, meeting the glaive wurm head on as it exploded against his suit. Tony was blasted backwards, flying through the air, suit burning green and landed on the ground with a thud and a cloud of dust and scattered rock.

The world was a searing blur, suit warnings wailing, burning pain in his chest. His ears rang as he breathed hard, finding it difficult to get a full lung of air.

“Stark!” He heard a warbling, indistinguishable voice. “Medic!” And then everything went dark.

 

Tony awoke with a jolt, feeling a flash of energy rip through his body. His reflex was to sit up, but he was held down by a large, metal hand.

“There you are.” The female medic said, voice relieved. “How are you feeling?”

The setting sun bled into his eyes, stabbing him with a sharp pain through his skull and he cringed and closed them. His entire body throbbed with pain, and whatever the medic had given him to wake him up felt like electricity tingling in his nerve endings. He quickly realized that he was on the outside of his suit, feeling the warm dirt and sharp rocks through the thin material of his jumpsuit, the breeze and UV rays on his face. “Feel like I got hit by a train.” He groaned. “How long was I out?”

“Only five minutes.” She responded, switching the vials on her medical needle out. Though the medic’s CMC-405 Light Combat Suit was smaller than most other power suits, it still towered over Tony, who felt exposed without his suit.

“Is Maximoff-?”

“She's fine. As is Barton. The Mutalisks were taken care of.”

“Where's my suit?”

The medic glanced up, past Tony. He followed her gaze… and his heart dropped.

His beautiful baby that he’d spent so many hours tinkering with, polishing, fixing up and improving… there she lay, a smoking, dented, half-melted lump of metal. The green acid had made a hole in the front so large it couldn't repair itself anymore. She was dead in the water.

“No…” He whispered in disbelief, and moved to sit up. When he tried to bend his torso, his chest exploded in pain and he fell back again. “Ah, fuck.”

“Please, try to lie still.” The medic said. She clicked in her needle and brought it to his arm. He grit his teeth as it pierced his flesh, and he felt the cool liquid flowing in. “Your chest was severely bruised. The acid burned patches of your skin, and destroyed the power core implant. I did what I could to repair the damage to your body.”

Tony glanced down and felt at the chest implant. The power core was gone, leaving only the metal-lined cavern. Around it, his jumpsuit was ripped and burned. His chest covered in skin grafting spray. Skin purple and blue beneath it.

“I had to take it out.” She explained about the power core. “The casing broke and the contents were poisoning your blood.”

“Give me something for the pain. I need to get up.”

“What? Sir, you really need to-”

“Just do it. Give me a stim too.”

The medic bit her lip, but obediently clicked in a canister and brought the needle back to his arm. Tony felt his muscles relax slowly as the liquid flowed through his veins, felt the pain melt away, body going numb. For the second round, he felt his senses clear up, his eyes become sharper, mind focused, heart pounding. The medic allowed him to sit up, and other than a slight, underlying throbbing, it didn't hurt this time.

After getting to his feet, he walked stiffly  over to the Mark XLIX, and knelt down beside the faceplate. It was charred, the eyes dead. He placed a hand on it and said quietly, “You did good, girl.”

He swallowed his grief and stood again, turning back towards the Psi Emitter. The waves still flowed freely, but Wanda was looking pale, her head drooping. She didn't look like she could take much more of this.

“Steve, when can we start packing up?” Tony asked over the comm.

“When the last Zerg reaches the surface.” The man answered gruffly. Tony could hear gunfire and shouting in the background over the comm.

“I don't know if we’re gonna last that long.”

“10 minutes. Then retreat to the extraction point. Pick up Thor and Loki on your way.”

“Roger that.” Tony felt a flutter at the idea of catching up with Loki. He’d promised to protect him. He fully intended to keep that promise.

But for now, he had to ensure he could get to Loki at all.

“Get me a canister rifle.” Tony ordered an SCV pilot. There was no way he was going to be able to lift his gauss rifle now, and the Ghost-issued C-20As were small enough to be wielded without a power suit. “Do we have any extra Ghost armor parts in my size?” In his jumpsuit alone, he was quite vulnerable. Ghost armor wouldn't save him from a head-on Baneling attack, but it was better than nothing.

“We got a whole stack of full Ghosts suits.” Said the pilot, heading over to the supply depot. “What color ya want; gray or gray?”

Might have been the adrenaline jitters, but Tony chuckled at that.

A few minutes later, Tony found himself in a skintight hostile environmental suit, pulling on the second metal boot that went up just past his knees. It was a weird feeling; almost constrictive, in a way. Brought flashbacks of being tied down to that rock, the chains tight against his body. He wondered how Loki could bear wearing this all the time, considering his own traumatic experiences. But he pushed down the anxiety that threatened to surface. Now wasn't the time. There were a lot worse things to worry about than a tight suit. So instead, he picked up the C-20A canister rifle and worked on familiarizing himself with it. He’d played with them before, considering he was the son of a weapons manufacturer. But it would take a few moments of relearning all the functions of such an adaptive weapon.

“Boss? It's looking dicey out there.” Clint warned from his eye in the sky. The shouts and the gunfire around him sounded more desperate than before.

“5 minutes!” Tony called back, clicking the ammo pack into his gun.

They didn't make it 5 more minutes. Soon after he said that, the Siege Tanks on the west side were overwhelmed by a pack of 5 Ultralisks. Splash cannons weren't enough anymore. The massive monsters stepped on the tanks with a metallic crunch and a burst of flame and kept going like they were stepping on an ant.

“ _Shit_. Alright, I'm calling it.” Tony pulled up the Ghost mask and switched the comm over to the general channel. “Fall back! Get out of there! Run!”

He didn't need to tell any of them twice. Marines abandoned their posts and started running in the direction of the extraction point, away from the monstrous titans. Surviving Siege Tanks switched out of Siege Mode and started rolling away as fast as they could. Goliaths and the air support gave everyone as much time as they could, firing off missile after missile that exploded against the carapaces, before turning back to join them.

Wanda leapt down from the psi emitter, plugged a code into the console on the side, turned and started running. She pushed up her lower face mask (none of the Ghosts had bothered with the full head masks this time, considering the inhabitable atmosphere, allowing their hair to flow free) and cloak hood, pulling her goggles down as she ran.

Tony started running just behind her. “Lets go, Clint!” He shouted.

“On it.” Clint switched his ship over from hovering to full flight, cloaked and flew overhead.

Tony glanced one last time at his power suit where it lay. Broken, setting sun glinting, the dust settling around it. This planet, this rocky, hot world, would be the grave of his greatest creation. But maybe it was fitting. Leaving behind the pinnacle of his career, and moving on to an uncertain future. Just as he would, after he and the others put their plan into place to get rid of Fury.

In any case, now was the time to focus on running. He could grieve his loss later.

“What did you do to the emitter?” Tony asked Wanda as they ran side-by-side, both holding their canister rifles up, senses on high alert.

“Self destruct. It will melt the crystal within and implode.” Wanda explained. “Everything we leave behind will be destroyed when the Golden Armada unleashes it's purification rays on the planet, but Fury wanted to be absolutely certain the psi emitter technology cannot be discovered. Our presence here can be explained away; our presence here _with_ psi emitter technology cannot.”

As the soldiers flooded out of the base, the front lines met the Zerg swarm head on with an explosion of firepower and the screaming of alien monsters. Behind them, it was like the dam opened up the and the abandoned base was overrun by Zerg in seconds, swallowing up the psi emitter as it imploded.

 

It was slow going, as the soldiers shot and carved their way through the masses of Zerg. As the outer edges fell, the next line stepped in to bravely take their places. Their numbers were dwindling, and Tony tried not to look at the bloodied, broken carcasses of his fellow soldiers that had fallen as he marched past. The smashed-in masks, ripped-off limbs. A downed Goliath with a caved-in cockpit, a hand hanging out limply and blood dripping down. He’d never seen so much death in his time in the army combined. These soldiers that had been alive only moments before, some of which Tony had protected with his own firepower, bravely laying down their lives to give their fellows a chance to get to safety.

There would be time to mourn and give honor to the fallen later. Right now, adrenaline and stims pumped through all their bodies. Fight or die. Or die to give the others a chance. This was their micro universe right now. The violence, the blood, the gore. The cries of hell around them as they parted the vast ocean of monsters like Moses split the Red Sea.

Although Tony and Wanda were within the center of the cluster, they still found themselves fighting for their lives. Firing off shots into Zerglings as they burst from the ground beneath their feet. Tony wasn't used to the fact that he couldn't get up close and personal with the monsters like he could with his power suit. He felt so terribly exposed, and jumpy as a result.

“How do you do this without cloaking all the time?” Tony asked Wanda nervously. Being invisible sounded like the best armor at the moment. If only he had the psionic power to activate the cloak technology installed in the hostile environment suit.

“Training.” She responded, firing a shot off into the sky at a stray Scourge before it could reach Clint's Wraith above their heads. “Learning what our bodies can and cannot do. Where we are vulnerable, and where we are not.”

Tony didn't like the implications of that, after all he had seen in those videos that he and Bruce had uncovered. Recalling the nasty claw scars on Loki’s back. He wouldn't put it past that awful program to teach young Ghosts what their limits were the hard way. He vaguely wondered if Wanda had gone through what Loki had. If she was part of Project Shadowblade. All of the Ghosts in Loki's elite squadron had a haunted look in their eyes. A quiet suffering. He vowed to ensure no one else went through that torment again. He would expose the program and put an end to it, whatever it took.

As they neared the base that contained Thor and Loki, the Zerg inbetween the traveling soldiers and the base were trapped and crushed like a vice. The weary travelers were relieved to have reached this base, to join in with more numbers meant a greater chance at surviving. For the base, it was a relief to have backup and troops to boost the lines. The barriers were looking even more stressed than the base Tony had left behind. Ready to give at any moment as the SCVs struggled to keep up with the massive loss.

The soldiers flooded in, Siege Tanks and air support boosting the barriers, giving the exhausted defense some needed relief. Tony and Wanda strode for the center, Clint flying above them.

There were Zerglings running amok within the base. Tearing at machines and terrorizing SCVs. They were dangerous, but hadn't been a top priority for the soldiers of the base. A few Zerglings that made it through were nothing compared to ensuring the Ultralisks didn't reach the barrier. A few Zerglings couldn't cause anywhere near the amount of damage most of the other forms of Zerg were capable of.

Thor was near the psi emitter, shooting off lightning at all Zerglings that scampered near. The air was thick with the smell of burning Zerg flesh, and smoking carcasses littered the field.

“How are those Thundershots, bud?” Tony asked as he got near, shooting down a Zergling as he went.

“Much better, with your adjustments.” Thor confirmed happily. He sounded tired. “I am glad you are here, these beasts are a nuisance. But what happened to your suit?”

“Resting in peace.” Tony said sadly. “Mutalisk got me good.”

“I am terribly sorry.” The sympathy was strong in Thor’s voice, even if he couldn't see his expression through the Marauder mask. The man knew how much that machine meant to Tony.

Tony nodded and glanced over to the psi emitter that Wanda was heading over to, taking off her mask and goggles as she went, hood dropping back with the motion. Loki perched cross-legged atop the machine, green eyes glowing bright, face of deep concentration. The psionic waves emanating from the machine were vibrant and nearly opaque, far brighter than the ones that had come from Wanda’s psi emitter. He wondered if it was due to the emitter itself, or the difference in power between the two Ghosts.

“How are you holding up, boss?” Wanda asked.

“Splitting migraine, but alright.” Loki’s voice sounded strained. “Is it time to leave, or did your base fall?”

“Both.” Wanda answered. “God, it was horrifying…” She shivered.

“I can't see it, but I feel the death around me.” Loki said quietly. Voice haunted and shaky. “Feel the dying…”

“Focus on the crystal, boss.” Wanda reached up and put a gentle hand over his. “I know it's hard to keep from drifting, but you must.”

Loki just nodded, eyes far away.

“We’re heading out for the extraction point.” Came Steve’s voice. “Reports aren't detecting any more Zerg in space. Pack it all up, boys. We’re getting off this planet.”

“Copy.” Tony responded, then stepped over to the psi emitter. “Lets go, Loki.”

The psi waves instantly stopped emanating, the last of them curling up into the sky and dissipating, and Loki dropped his head, breathing out in relief. He uncrossed his legs and moved to slide down from the machine, but his legs gave out when he reached the ground. Wanda caught him in time and helped him stand.

Tony pulled off his mask and goggles and jogged over, grabbing Loki's other arm. “Are you alright?” He asked worriedly.

“Fine, just tired.” Loki rubbed his eye and then glanced up at Tony. He blinked and looked him up and down, eyebrow raised. “Damn. You make a sexy Ghost.” His voice was appreciative of the way the suit fit to Tony's muscles, the lines enhancing his figure. 

Tony grinned. “We’ll come back to that later. We need to get out of here.”

Loki nodded and stood up straight, Wanda and Tony letting go of his arms, cautiously ensuring he could stand on his own now. “We need to hurry. I heard air reports of an Ultralisk pack on its way." Loki said. "I’d prefer to avoid them entirely… our people are too tired to take on multiple Ultralisks at once.”

“We got run out of our base from a pack of them.” Tony noted. “I agree. If we can avoid them, the less people we’ll lose.”

“We’ll have to go south of the extraction point route.” Clint chimed in. “According to the Wraith squadron tracking them.”

“Alright. Let's get moving.” Loki switched to general comms. “Begin evacuation process. Alpha squadron, protect the retreat. SCVs in the center.” He plugged a code into the psi emitter; the meltdown process, Tony imagined. Then he started heading off through the base, pulling up his mask, his goggles down. He didn't bother with the cloak hood, and it rested loosely over his shoulder blades, the rest of the cloak and his black hair flowing in the wind. _God_ … he was so beautiful and intimidating as he strut authoritatively through the base…

“Lets go, Tony.”

“Right.”

 

The evacuation went a lot smoother than Tony’s had. Fighting back the Swarm was intense as it has been before, but they didn't have Ultralisks coming towards them like towering battleships, causing everyone to scatter in panic. The mass of half the army was vast; even for as many as they lost, you couldn't quite see the other side of the mass from the edge. Siege Tanks rumbling the earth under their treads, ground shaking violently with each footstep of the massive Goliaths, the air turbulent with the rotating fans of Banshees.

The Swarm was thick, out here. Though they had twice the amount of troops lining their great, layered bullring, it seemed like there were twice the amount of Zerg to face them. Thousands of Zerglings swarming thick like locusts, piling on top of each other to get at their enemies. On the positive side, the Zerg hadn't a chance to complete any Hatcheries from which to birth more, nor did they have the Creep to aid their movement and reconstitute their bodies. But despite this advantage, the Marines were dropping like flies. Never before in history had the Terrans faced death on such a wide scale, such a vast ocean of monsters, thicker than blood. Just a mass of teeth and claws and flesh. Shoot at it, drive it back, it comes flooding back in like the ocean tide. A sea of rage and death. The smell of blood and bile and burning flesh and acid thick in the air. Dying here; Hell would be a relief. Nothing could be worse than this.

The extraction point seemed so far away, for this slow-moving caravan. The Carrier was cloaked, and far from the action to be safe from the Zerg flyers. They couldn't spare much in the way of protection for the ship, having sent most of the army down to the surface.

At the center of the great army bullring, Tony and the others didn't have to see much of the horrific gore. Didn't have to watch the claws tearing open the suits, acid burning away the metal, Hydralisk spines impaling masks, the screaming of pain and dying… but they did have to walk past the bodies. Step around the fallen Goliaths. Thor stopped to help the pilot of a Siege Tank that was still alive, ripped open the cockpit and pulled the man out before handing him over to the squadron of medics trying to help as many as they could without forcing the march to a standstill. Floating medical platforms tugged along as the medics ran alongside, injecting patients as quickly as they could.

Tony was starting to find himself wearing down, as he shot rounds off into the sky, tearing through Zerg flyers to aid the air support. The medication was beginning to wear off. The ache and sharp stinging in his chest slowly returning. The soreness in his arms. But the adrenaline kept him sharp and focused.

That and Loki’s presence.

The man strode beside him, confidently firing rounds off into the sky. Visions of everything he had seen and dreamed that Loki had went through, the terror in those beautiful green eyes before they left for this mission, his promise to keep him safe… that kept him going. Kept him alert to any possible dangers that threatened them. It didn't matter how much he ached, how much his body wanted to give out. He would go on for Loki.

“How are you holding up?” Loki asked in a private comm between them. His voice sounded distracted.

“I’ll manage.” Tony answered.

“I need you to make it through this, Tony.”

“Likewise.” Tony said. “I fully intend to enjoy a bottle of victory wine with you after this.”

Loki didn't respond to that. Tony picked up a wave of sadness that he didn't understand. A feeling of regret.

“Loki-?”

“Commander!” Came a shout over the general comm. “There… they burst out of the ground-!”

“What did?” Loki’s voice was in command. “Report.”

“Ultralisks… oh god… dozens of them…!”

A video link from the reporting Wraith pilot was sent to their visors. What they saw made the hearts of all drop into despair.

A _wall_ of Ultralisks waded through the ocean of Zerglings. An impenetrable force of death and destruction, heading straight towards them. Towering avatars of death, Kaiser blades large enough to crush a squadron of Goliaths. An entire army of Siege Tanks barraging the monsters with splash cannons wouldn't be enough to face this threat. This was the wall of fire in video games that chased you to the end of the map. This was the embodiment of the end.

Tony didn't have to be a psychic to feel the overwhelming sense of dread, despair and desire to give in to death around him.

“I don't wanna die this way…!” An SCV pilot cried out.

That's when Tony stepped forward, hand on his comm. “Listen up, everyone. I know this looks impossible, but we’re going to get through this.” Everyone hushed to listen in. “This is what you’ve trained for your entire lives. This is what humans have been doing since the dawn of our species. _Surviving_. We face the impossible odds. We face things bigger than us and we beat them because no species, no matter how big, no matter how many claws they have, no matter how sharp their teeth are, has what we have. Ingenuity. Intuition. Bravery. Sheer _willpower_. You can lift a car with your bare hands when you need to. You’re _superhuman_. You're capable of impossible things when the world needs you to beat something impossible. And you're going to do that today. You're going to get home, or you're going to die getting your friends home. Because that's what humans do. That's _what we do_.”

He heard a vast stadium of pumped up shouts of agreement burst around him. He heard the hope enter their hearts. He felt the surge of energy, felt the adrenaline pumping. His army was ready. His people were ready. They were going to survive.

“Let’s fuck these bitches up!”

The army roared as one. They were ready.

Tony grinned and looked around… and then his smile faded.

“Loki?” Tony called out in a panic. He couldn't see him anywhere, as he looked around wildly. “Thor; do you have eyes on Loki?”

“I thought he was with you?” Thor asked, nervous energy in his voice.

“He was… Wanda?”

“He was beside me a moment ago.” She responded, sounding perplexed.

“Loki!” Tony shouted over the one-on-one comm.

“I'm sorry, Tony.” Came that soft, posh voice. “But… I have to make sure you survive.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Tony asked anxiously. “Where are you? Get back here!”

“The Carrier has nukes on board, and it is within range.” Loki’s voice was calm. “Only a Ghost can call down a tactical nuke. And this many Ultralisks… there's only one way you’re getting the army through that barrier.”

“Oh god, Loki… No!” Tony shouted desperately. “It's too dangerous!”

“I'll be cloaked. It's what I’m trained to do.”

“It doesn't matter if you're cloaked if you have to wade through a sea of Zerg! They’ll _feel_ you!”

“I can do this, Tony. Trust me. I’m going to get you all home.”

“Loki, please!”

“I'm going into cloak, now. See you on the other side.”

“Loki!” The line was dead silent. He couldn't communicate while Loki was cloaked. “Oh, _god_ …”

“What is going on?” Thor asked anxiously.

“Loki, he's… going to call nukes down on the Ultralisks.” Tony was dazed. In a nightmare. Horrified.

Wanda put a hand to her mouthpiece. “No…”

“We must stop him!” Thor roared.

“We can't, he's cloaked.” Tony responded shakily. “I can't… protect him… like I promised…” His voice gave out.

“I… I cannot lose him again.” Thor’s voice was choked with despair. “My baby brother, not again…” Tony felt that in his gut. Oh god, what if Loki died? He couldn't do this. Not again. Not _again_ -

“We must keep moving, Stark.” Wanda said, swallowing. “We cannot let him risk his life for nothing. We need to keep going.”

“You're right.” Tony said quietly. He breathed in deeply. Pushed his dazed and violent emotions into a box and set it aside for now. He needed to focus. He had hundreds of thousands of people to think about right now.

He switched to general comms. “Move out!”

 

The army moved with a renewed fire and and ferocity. They were all exhausted, hurting, injured, countless dying. But Tony’s speech had reached them. They wanted to live. They wanted their friends to live. They pushed forward through the Swarm. Cut through it like a hot knife. Every person giving it their all. No holding back. Now was not the time to hold back.

Tony received reports on the Ultralisks’ movement; privately, so as not to add fear to the hearts of the army. They were coming for them. Coming for his people. Soon, the army would crest this hill and see those towering, building-sized monsters coming towards them. He wasn't sure the resolve would hold, when they saw it. When it became real to their eyes. He wasn't sure his own resolve would hold either.

But that's when the explosions started. The shockwaves blasting past them all, pulling aircraft back and sending several SCVs tumbling.

“Clint, I need eyes!” Tony shouted.

“Patching you in.” Clint’s voice was awed.

The video feed came up and Tony stared in wonder. Not one, but _four_ nukes had descended upon the wall of Ultralisks, exploding in a fiery inferno, leaving nothing but a pile of massive, smoking corpses and an ocean of Zerglings on fire. It looked like an oil spill alight. Green fog and sandy dust billowed in the air around the carcasses, and rocks were blown for miles. A couple of the Ultralisks were still alive, but their bodies burst open and gushing blood, and they struggled to move. He couldn't hear anything over the feed, but he could see the Zerg screaming in pain and death. Writhing and twitching as they burned and died.

The army erupted with cheers. He could see several marines crying with joy. _They were going to make it_. The Ultralisk threat was gone and they were _going to make it._

“Go, go!” Tony shouted. “To the extraction point!”

The army ran, the ground rumbling under the footsteps of hundreds of thousands soldiers.

But where was Loki? He’d clearly successfully made it far enough to tag the areas for the nukes to fall, but where was he now? Was he making his way back to Tony?

A knot formed in his stomach. What if he'd been caught by the nuke blasts? Or the Zerg discovered him and tore him to pieces? What if-

“Tony.”

Tony’s heart jumped into his chest. “ _Loki!_ Thank fucking _god_.”

“Are you almost at the extraction point?” Loki’s voice was quiet.

“We’re in the home stretch. Where are you? Do you need help? I can hop in a Wrai-”

“I'm fine, Tony. I joined up with Steve’s squadron. They were closer. I'll see you soon.”

Tony felt a rush of relief flood through his body. “See you then.”

Loki was safely with Steve. Everything was going to be okay.

They were going to make it.

They were going to make it.

 

The final leg of the journey to the extraction point went by in a blur for Tony. He shot where he needed to, but he was filled with euphoria and everything else felt unimportant. Maybe it was a side effect of the med cocktail, or maybe he was just elated to know Loki was okay and they were going to see each other again. He fully intended to crack out a bottle of wine when they got back. Get thoroughly drunk and forget everything else he had to do later, just lay there and hold Loki. Let his scent envelope him. The warmth of his skin fill his body. Those soft lips pressed to his.

When his half of the army reached the extraction point, where thousands of dropships flew as fast as they could back and forth from the Carrier, protected by squadrons of Vikings, he discovered Steve’s half already loading onto the ships. The armies converged like two vast schools of fish coming together, those on the outer edges turning to fight off the impending Swarm, defending those loading onto the ships. Brave men that, although so close to escape, were prepared to die to ensure as many of their fellows made it back to the Carrier. The pinnacle of heroism. They would not be forgotten.

The loading process was chaos. Trying to squeeze as many marines into one ship as possible, bodies pushing to get past. Many pilots of the larger machines jumped out and abandoned their vehicles to squeeze into a dropship, leaving the things scattered and disrupting the flow. There was nothing to be done about it, now. People were panicking, this close to the end. No one could keep them in line now. It was a free-for-all.

The trio managed to catch a dropship that was relatively empty, and were able to get Thor in his Marauder inside, Tony and Wanda stepping in behind him. He quickly took a position next to the ramp. Things were going to get squishy, as more people flooded in. Being next to the ramp would feel less like a sardine in a can.

He hadn't realized it, but there was an intense, underlying tension wracking his body before he stepped onto that dropship. But as soon as he found himself inside the body of it, that tension flooded out. This was the moment he felt like he really made it. He really made it out of that hellscape. He survived the impossible. Survived something no one had faced before. An unending sea of Zerg. _He made it_.

And the relief flowed over him more strongly when the dropship doors closed, marines tucked in tight, and began to rise into the air.

“You with us, Barton?” He asked.

“Got your back.” Clint responded cheerfully.

“We did it!” Thor sounded overjoyed, mask up on his suit and revealing his grinning face.

“You on a ship yet, Loki?” Tony asked on their direct channel. If the man was with Steve's squad, he should have been one of the first to board. Likely already on the Carrier.

But... there was no response.

His cheer started to fade.

“Loki? You there?”

Nothing.

Tony checked the tracking system, asking the interface to show him Loki’s location.

It showed no trace of the man.

Tony’s stomach sunk in horror.

 

‘ _Tony?_ ’

Tony jumped in fright. Where the hell had that come from? It wasn't from his comm, it didn't quite sound like anyone around him. A cold chill ran up his spine. It almost sounded like… it was coming from inside his head.

‘ _Tony!_ ’

“New phone, who dis?” Tony asked nervously.

‘ _Tony, it's me._ ’

Wait…

‘ _Loki?_ ’ He thought, in shock.

‘ _Yes, I need you to listen to me-_ ’

‘ _Loki? How the fuck…?_ ’

‘ _We’re speaking telepathically._ ’

‘ ** _How?!_** ’

‘ _We… have a connection_.’ Loki’s thoughts flowed into him. ‘ _We’re tethered by something. Like a strand in the philotic web. I didn't see it before… but now I do. I followed it to you_.’

‘ _Like in Ender's Game?_ ’

‘ _Exactly like that.’_

‘ _Is that why I've been feeling your emotions?_ ’

‘ _Listen, Tony. We don't have time._ ’

‘ _Why?_ ’ A spike of anxiety rose in Tony’s gut. ‘ _Wait… Where the hell are you?_ ’

‘ ** _Listen._** ’ The thought came harshly, like a stab to the back of Tony’s head. ‘ _I've had an implant in my throat that's kept me from saying anything about this, but you need to stop Fury. He truly thinks he's doing what's right, but he’s… lost…_ ’

‘ _Fury? Wait… he's been controlling your mind?_ ’

‘ _In a way. He couldn't risk me telling anyone about his plan, so he gave me an implant... it can't tell him my thoughts or anything. But it listens to the micro movements of the larynx that accompany thought, listens for a specific pattern programmed into it… and stops me from speaking about or even thinking hard on the subject it is programmed for._ ’

‘ _What's the subject?_ ’

‘ _He's planning on overthrowing the Confederacy, and then he's going to take on the Umojans and the Morians to pull all of the Terrans of the Koprulu sector under one government._ ’

Tony was absolutely shocked beyond belief. Fury was… _actually_ planning on doing the thing Tony and his friends had planned to frame him for? ‘ _How the hell is he going to do that?_ ’ He demanded. This didn't just throw a wrench in their plan. It threw the whole damn car too.

‘ _Azharu is a proof of concept._ ’ Loki explained. ‘ _He's going to unleash the Zerg on Tarsonis, they're going to destroy the Confederate government, and then he'll use the example of Tarsonis to inspire everyone else to join his cause.’_

That took a long, long moment to set in. ‘ _Oh… oh **god** …_’

‘ _You need to stop him, Tony. By any means necessary._ ’

‘ _Why me? Why can't you stop him?_ ’ Tony was numb with horror.

‘ _He was controlling me because he knew I could stop him. I've broken free, but at a price. I can't stop it myself. It falls to you now._ ’

That took a moment to sink in.

‘ _Loki… where are you?_ ’

 

A lone hill stood empty of Zerg life, looking out on the valley below. At the ocean of monsters surrounding the soldiers as they loaded onto the dropships. The Zerg swarmed in circles, flowed around this sharp hill as well. This island in a sea of teeth and claws. This rock in the brook.

Loki gazed out at this chaos. Calm set into his bones. He was cloaked, currently; but running out of the energy needed to maintain it. Running out of energy to use any form of psionic power. Weakening mentally and physically. He wouldn't even be able to hold this conversation with Tony psionically for much longer. But with the weakness came acceptance. A readiness to sleep.

‘ _It was the only way, Tony._ ’ Loki thought softly. ‘ _Fury was never going to let me go._ ’

‘ _Oh my god, Loki…_ ’ He could hear Tony's disbelief. ‘ _Don't tell me you're still on the surface._ ’

‘ _The Zerg will find me soon. They sense my psionic power._ ’ Loki said calmly.

‘ _Loki just; hang on. I'm going to come find you!_ ’ The desperation was loud in his mind. Loki was too tired to hear it. Couldn't Tony feel it? It was all okay.

‘ _No, Tony. It's too late now. Stay alive. Stop Fury._ ’

‘ ** _Loki!_** ’

‘ _I love you._ ’

With that, Loki closed his eyes and released the cloak. He glowed under the two moons, the sun gone from the sky, the stars shining. His hand on his throat, blood flowing out from between his fingers, dripping from his monomolecular blade. The bloodied implant on the ground.

The Zerg around him saw. Smelled his blood. They turned, and came for him.

 

“Loki, no!” Tony screamed. He tried to launch himself from the dropship platform, but Thor held him back; out of his Marauder suit now; and he was much stronger than Tony.

“Tony, please!” Thor cried out. “There's nothing you can do! Killing yourself will not bring him back!”

Tears streamed from Tony’s eyes as he struggled against the strong grip. Fighting Thor tooth and nail. “Please, _please_! I can't lose him again! I promised I'd protect him!” He cried freely, sobs wracking his body, writhing like an animal.

But Thor held him tight, his own tears flowing, trembling terribly. They both sunk to the floor in despair, holding onto each other. Guts wrenched in sickened horror.

“I promised...”

 

The Khalai Protoss are said to be connected psionically by a link known as the Khala. All Protoss could hear the thoughts of the others through this link. Feel each other's emotions. Through the Khala they were as one.

Yet there are said to be tribes of Protoss, known as the Nerazim, who cast aside the Khala; severing their nerve cords to be rid of the connection. This was an unthinkable thing to the Khalai, for as one of a collective, they could never imagine being so well and truly alone.

Yet the Nerazim so revel in this solitude that to become a Dark Templar, the highest class of Nerazim stealth warriors, one must pass a test known as the Shadow Walk.

To complete the Shadow Walk, one must walk alone through a valley in the darkness, while those of their tribe strike out at them from the shadows. Enemies all around, the aspirant must reach the end of the valley. There was nothing that made one feel so alone like facing enemies at all sides by oneself, protecting one’s own back, in complete darkness.

_But every Nerazim knows…_

Loki’s blades sang through the air, glinting in the moonlit darkness, slicing through countless limbs and heads.

_…that none of us are ever truly alone._

A Zergling leapt at him, but he caught the monster on his blade, driving it through its heart and flinging the body to the ground. The blade was torn from his hand.

_For our warrior hearts are bound by honor..._

He spun in the air as he sent several rounds from his rifle through the skull of a Hydralisk.

_…tradition._

As he hit the trigger, the gun gave the telltale click of an empty ammo clip.

_Battle is waged in the name of the many..._

He threw the gun to the ground, facing the Zerg that swarmed around him, gathering through the dust.

_…the brave, who generation after generation, choose the mantle of…_

Blood drenched the ground around him. His blood. Zerg blood. It all mixed together.

**_Dark Templar._ **

Loki raised his arms, and closed his eyes.

The Zerg closed in.

 

—

 

There was nothing in Tony’s heart and mind but gut-wrenching grief, anguish and anger. Raging anger, it burned as he stormed down the hallway towards the control room. Anger and hatred for the man he went to face. The man that had taken everything from him. _Everything. Twice._

“You left him _behind_.” Tony snarled at Fury’s back.

The man didn't bother turning around. He had been receiving a report observing the movements of the Golden Armada. The Carrier was lightyears away from the planet by now, but a few cloaked Wraith squadrons had remained behind to report back. Tony had seen flashes of video feed; great, devastating beams raining down from the skies, burning the Zerg in a golden inferno. Erasing any trace of the Mark XLIX. Burying Loki's body in fire. “A lot of good men have been left behind today.” Fury responded.

“And for what?” Tony rounded the man until he was forced to face him. That one-eyed expression was neutral. No regard for what had just happened to his _Number One_. “A shit ton of good, brave men gave their fucking _lives,_ for what?”

“To save their people from the alien menace that threatens our extinction.” Fury responded calmly, hands clasped behind his back. “Those men are heroes.”

“They’re _victims_ , alongside all those _Protoss_ you've killed.” Tony growled.

“The Protoss that the _Zerg_  killed.”

Tony glowered at him. “The one who points the weapon is the killer. Congratulations, _you_ committed genocide.”

“Death is a part of war, Mr. Stark. People die on both sides. That's kinda the point. Sometimes there's collateral damage. It's unavoidable. If you don't have the stomach for death, maybe you don't belong in a military career.”

“You think I don't fucking _know_ all that? You think I can't handle _death_?” Tony laughed harshly. “I've been handling death since I was a little kid. I know innocent people die. And you know what? Generally, nobody looks very fondly on whoever’s fault it was. Regardless of their fucking high and mighty cause.”

“I think I might need a tissue.” Fury responded sarcastically. “I'm absolutely _touched_ by this account of your tragic backstory, Stark.”

“You fucking _prick_!” Tony lunged at the man, but the two marines nearest were on him before he got the chance, holding him back by his arms. He struggled, but eventually gave in, glowering at the man instead. “Hell is too good for you.” He growled.

“If you don't like how I run things, you're free to leave.” Fury shrugged, disinterested. “You're a career marine. No one is forcing you to be here.”

Tony shook off the marines, brushing his shirt down. “Consider this my fucking resignation letter.” Tony flipped the man off, turned and stormed out of the room.

 

Tony raged down the hall, face red with anger. Mind a white hot whirlwind. There were no words for the swirling emotions he felt right now. No words in any language he knew. He was certain there were no words in any language that had ever been invented, for the amount of pain that coursed through him right now.

He passed many forms, people he didn't take note of. Their faces nothing to him right now. Stormed past them, ignoring any of them who tried to stop and speak with him.

Ignored them all until a hand grabbed his arm.

“Did he buy it?”

Tony nodded slightly. “I'm free to go.”

Steve nodded back. “Good luck.”

“You too.”

They parted as though nothing had occurred, each continuing on their ways.

 

—

 

_12 years ago_

 

Tony sat alone in Daisy’s Diner.

It was late, the night was dark and stormy. As soon as the rain had started, Tony worried about Loki. He wanted to go meet him at his place instead, but he knew why he couldn't. He couldn't risk Loki’s family discovering their plans. Besides, Loki was probably already on his way and he might miss him if he went out to find him.

So he spun back and forth in that brightly-colored barstool, nursing his coffee, and thinking about the future. The future he and Loki had together. He’d never felt so certain about something in his life. About what he wanted, about whether he was making the right decision. He knew in his heart that this was right. That this was what he wanted.

And that day, he’d realized why.

Tony loved Loki. He _loved_ him.

He didn't have the urge to ‘scream it at the world’. All he wanted was for _Loki_ to know. Because he was the only thing he cared about. And he knew he was going to let him know tonight. He had it all planned out. Loki would step in through that jingling door, drenched. Probably grumpy. Tony would have the Jukebox playing, and he’d come over and ask him to dance.

Loki would probably say ‘I'm drenched’, and Tony would respond, ‘why do you think I’m playing _Singin’ In The Rain_?’. Loki would laugh when he realized it. Tony would offer his hand and they would swing across the floor like it was Earth 1950’s. Maybe the waitresses would pop their heads in, laugh in endearment and call them cute. Loki would get embarrassed, but Tony would tell him not to care. That nothing matters but the two of them.

And that's when he would say it.

“I love you, Loki…”

 

“I love you.” Tony pressed his hands into his eyes to keep from crying more. The words he didn't get a chance to say before Loki was gone forever… again. For good this time. As he sat there on his bunk in the Carrier. His dorm dark. He would have let a thousand handcrafted power suits be destroyed if it meant he'd have Loki back. He would have fought off a billion Zerglings to hold him in his arms again. It wasn't _fair_. After all both of them had gone through. To miss out on that happy ending they both deserved.

He didn't have a lot of personal items to gather, most in the military didn't. He really would have liked to go right to the shuttle bay. Time was precious, now. But something brought him here, to his dorm. An urge he couldn't find it in himself to ignore. So here he sat, finally allowing the pent up emotions to release themselves. The sickness in his stomach. The anguish. The tightness in his throat. The world-ending, crushing defeat…

It was when he wiped that fresh set of tears from his face, swollen from crying, that he spotted it. A glint of vibrant blue in the darkness, peeking out from under Tony’s blanket. He stared at it for a long moment before he reached out and pulled the blanket back. What he revealed stunned him.

It was Loki’s Walkman. The one Tony had repaired for him 12 years ago.

“You… still had it.” Tony whispered. He reached out and picked up the device gingerly. It was a bit more worn than last he saw it, as he flipped it over in his hands. He spotted the engraving Tony had made all the time ago, and was shocked to realize someone had added more to it. Quite fresh, from the looks of it.

Now, rather than simply reading ‘LOKI’… the engraving was ‘LOKI & TONY’, with a smaller inscription below it that said, ‘love you forever’.

Fresh tears burst from Tony’s eyes unbidden, and he crumbled into himself; stomach clenched as he sobbed uncontrollably. Emotion raw inside him like an animal ripping him open to get out from his skin.

When he finally calmed enough to think rationally, a sudden cold, creeping horror ran up his spine. “Oh, god, Loki…” He sniffled. “You… knew you were going to die today…”

It was the only explanation. The only reason he would have added that extra engraving on there and put the device in Tony’s room just before they went out on the mission. He was giving it to Tony because he knew it was the last time he would see it. Because it was Tony's, now. The only person in the universe that would appreciate it like he ever had.

Tony miserably found himself putting the earbuds in and hitting play. Hoping to hear what Loki had been listening to, just before-

He nearly jumped out of his skin when, rather than an old school rock band, a voice began playing from beyond the grave.

“ _Tony. I know how much you like heavy metal… I wish I didn't have to do this. I wish it didn't have to be this way. But it's the only chance I have to share old songs outside that genre, for once._ ” Loki’s recorded voice sounded sad. But calm.

Tony was shaking, listening to this. Blood cold. Dazed. Felt like he was in the twilight zone.

“ _A long time ago, I managed to load some new music files onto this cassette tape. They are everything you’ll need to get people dancing._ ”

Tony blinked and glanced down at the cassette tape. Loki's words were cryptic, and he sensed an underlying meaning. He pulled out his wrist interface and started scanning the tape.

“ _I know you’ll get that music out there. I know you’ll get people to listen to it._ ”

The scans, compared to the other tapes, showed a strange line of code emanating from within the casing. An alien source. It was asking for input. Tony shivered.

“ _The key to enjoying music is in your heart, after all._ ”

“My heart?” Tony said thoughtfully. This was clearly a hint on the passcode to get into whatever the hell this was. He felt at his chest, and his fingers touched the cold metal casing of his long-gone arc reactor. Realization dawned on him.

“Oh _fuck_ -… did you really…?”

He plugged in the numbers he knew by heart. It was the precise energy output his reactor was capable of. The reactor he had created. The numbers only he could ever know the significance of.

The alien coding accepted his input. He was in. The air was filled with holograms, bursting out from the Walkman.

“Oh my god, Loki…”

It was all shit on Fury. His plans for Azharu. Evidence that he plans to use the method against Tarsonis. It was all here. Undeniable proof.

Loki died to get this information to Tony. He died so Tony could take this information to Tarsonis, to stop Fury. To put an end to this. To stop the genocide. He finally understood Loki’s coded wording. After all the death he had unintentionally caused at his own hands, Loki wanted to _save lives_ , ‘for once’.

“ _I love you, Tony Stark. I love you forever._ ”

Tony squeezed his eyes shut and grit his teeth to keep from bursting into tears again.

This was it. Tony couldn't fail, now. He had to make sure Loki didn't die in vain. It's the last thing he can do for him. He _had_ to get this information to Tarsonis.

He had to stop Fury.


	10. That’s What Heroes Do

_3 years later…_

 

Sometimes, despite all their best efforts, despite being right, despite seemingly having all the cards… the heroes don't win the battle. Everyone wants to imagine that good always triumphs over evil, in an ideal world. But this wasn't an ideal world. Sometimes evil wins. Sometimes the heroes lose. And sometimes they lose big.

After that fateful day, Tony made his way to Tarsonis as quickly as warp speed could take him. He had no idea when Fury planned to launch his attack. It could be tomorrow, it could be next year. He had no intention of leaving it to chance. Loki sacrificed himself to give Tarsonis this chance. Tony wasn't going to waste it.

He arrived in Tarsonis City, carrying his precious bundle of vital information. He didn't bother visiting his father, who he hadn't seen for many years. He steered clear of his old haunts; the memories associated with them would just threaten his sanity. So instead, he went straight to the governmental sector of the city. He had a job to do and no time to lose.

He swiftly made it all the way to the top. Tony was an elite Marine and the son of one of the most influential and rich men of Tarsonis claiming to carry intel about a serious threat to the government; he was taken seriously. He got a meeting with all the big men in charge in record time. The Council, the Old Families, everyone. Although it was tough for them to swallow at first, the data he had smuggled in through Loki’s Walkman and his first-hand account of the events on Azharu were damning. The government, thankfully, decided to take action immediately. That was a rare thing, getting the government to do anything so quick. Funny how fast powerful men can run when you light a fire under their asses. The defenses of Tarsonis were quickly supplemented, the planet put on high alert, and they called for the arrest of Fury.

That was when the madness began.

Most of the military, save the planetary defense squadrons posted across the sector, was physically with Fury as he travelled back from Azharu. Fury controlled the military communications on his fleet of Battlecruisers. That meant any communications that Tarsonis tried to send over were blocked. They never heard back from those Battlecruisers. Tony couldn't even contact his friends. Couldn't tell them that he had succeeded, that they had a warrant for Fury’s arrest.

All he could do now was sit and hope Steve succeeded. And if he didn't, that the defense system around Tarsonis was enough to keep the people safe until they managed to end this. The Council had called all reachable military to the planet to face the threat. The entire world was on lockdown until they could locate Fury. People were fearful. A lot of riots spread. But they felt secure. Felt the military would protect them. Felt the great space platforms would stop any invading force. Never thought it could possibly go wrong.

So when the day came, the day the sky darkened under the wings of a billion Mutalisks… no one actually expected to lose.

No one expected billions of innocent civilians and defending soldiers to die that day.

No one expected Tarsonis to fall.

 

But being a hero isn't about winning all the time. It's not about good always triumphing over evil. Being a hero is about getting back up after being knocked down. Being a hero is about never giving in. Being a hero is about fighting to win back what you lost.

That day, Tony Stark helped millions of people escape the hell that Tarsonis had become with the aid of faster transport aircraft he had helped prepare in those months he had spent on the planet. Millions that included his father, alongside Thor and Loki’s parents. It wasn't the victory he wanted. It wasn't what he wanted to honor Loki with. But those were lives saved that previously had no chance of surviving. In the end, although Tarsonis had fallen, and Fury had won, Loki saved millions of lives through his sacrifice. He would have been happy with that.

Didn't stop Tony from feeling like he failed him, though. Didn't stop him from falling deeper into that dark depression that had threatened to swallow him up since that fateful day. Didn't stop him from turning to alcohol to drown his sorrows, as he watched the sector burn around him.

 

Life as the Koprulu Sector knew it changed completely in those three years.

Victory over Tarsonis in his pocket, Fury overthrew the Confederate government with ease and hardly any loss on his part. Assassinations with his Ghosts. Militia that he had spread lies and misinformation to… told them that the Confederate government was at fault for the Zerg invasion. That they had seen the signs and done nothing. That Fury and all of SHIELD were only here to save the people. That Fury certainly wasn't the one who had sent a cloaked Ghost to Tarsonis with a compact psi emitter to call down the Swarm.

Despite Tony and the others’ best efforts to get the truth out there, Fury had successfully convinced most of the Koprulu sector that he had nothing to do with the Zerg invasion. That he had swooped in and played savior. He had all of SHIELD, who he had thoroughly convinced, to back up his story. In the face of the Zerg up front and personal, here in the Core Worlds, no one really paid attention to the truth mislabeled as slander. Everyone was convinced the so-called evidence of Fury’s corruption was falsified. In the eyes of the Koprulu Sector, this was black and white; Fury was the hero. He was the only one who could save them from the Zerg. From extinction.

As a result of his demonstrations of vastly superior military strength, the Morians and Umojans put up the white flags. They did put up a fight, Terrans of the Koprulu Sector were all characteristically stubborn and proud; but in the end, they surrendered to Fury’s rule. The entire Terran population of the Koprulu Sector now sat under one government.

The Terran Dominion.

Tarsonis, once the capital of the most powerful nation of the Terran Koprulu sector, was lost to the Zerg. Fury didn’t bother trying to get it back. He set up his new capital on a world called Korhal, from which he controlled all operations.

The changes began immediately. Research on the Zerg or things that might be helpful to kill the Zerg were the one and only priority. All other projects ceased. Even life-saving medical research… halted and converted to research on curing Zerg-infested Terrans instead. It wasn't important to save sick people anymore. If you weren't strong enough to be of use in the fight against the Zerg, you were a waste of resources.

The draft began. Billions of able-bodied people forced into military service; be it as a solider or a support in some form or another. Children were sent to military academies at younger ages. Curriculums in early learning programs transformed to brainwash children with military propaganda, teaching them that the only thing that mattered was the Zerg threat. Video feeds of the brutal Zerg threat in gory detail were played regularly in all areas of all cities to remind people what was coming for them. Civilizations transformed to focus purely on military agendas. Anyone who fought back against the oppression was dealt with severely and without mercy.

Unethical governing and oppression aside, this strategy by ‘Emperor Fury’ _did_ achieve fast results. With this heavy militarization and cutting of ‘non-essentials’, the Terran chance at surviving, at defeating their hellish enemy, had risen to a far higher percentage. They became a far more dangerous foe in such a short amount of time. One day, perhaps they would even become a threat to the Protoss. It was everything Fury wanted.

Thanks to the intensive, Zerg-focused research, the Dominion quickly learned a lot more about their alien foes. For instance, it was discovered that the Zerg were indeed run by a ruling entity rather than simply behaving as a hivemind. A creature they called The Other bound the creatures to its overriding will, and the Swarm protected it so closely that no one knew what it even looked like. Aside from the aliens’ strange hunger for anything that emitted psionics, however, the researchers still weren't sure what exactly the Zerg’s ultimate goal was. Their motivation. Universal domination and the spread of their species over all was their best guess.

Despite Fury’s powerful reign, his iron fist, there were still people fighting back. Fighting against the oppression of the Dominion, fighting for their freedom, fighting for their lives, fighting for their children. Some of these people were Steve Rogers and his original squadron.

During the attack on Tarsonis, Steve and the others, including Loki’s Ghost squadron and a decent amount of other allies they’d managed to convert to their cause, had tried to destroy Fury from the inside. They managed to cripple the capital ship, came so close to getting their hands on the man himself… but in the end, they only succeeded in getting themselves captured. They all spent months in the hardship of New Folsom before they finally managed to escape the previously inescapable prison. With new powerful Spectre allies, too.

Now, the group called themselves The Avengers, and made their stand on a Fringe World called Mar Sara. A reddish, desert planet with beautifully carved canyons and decent mineral yields. It was a backwater mining world with a few scattered colonies, but the atmosphere was safe for Terrans and there was enough sparse organic nature to call it a real home.

And home it was, for millions of refugees. A planet on the far edge of space, the Dominion didn't bother them here.

After all, this close to Zerg space, Fury figured he’d leave it to the aliens to clean up the rebels for him.

 

Tony stumbled into the Commodore’s bridge. The ship was an early-model Battlecruiser; a lot smaller than most. But she was jam-packed with mods that made her faster than any other Battlecruiser in the sector. Thor and Bruce had stolen it from a man whose fighting ring they were sent to shut down… but that was a story for another day.

“Tony… are you drunk?” Steve sighed, sounding worn. He sported a thick beard, now, and his hair was messier than it had ever been back in their glory days.

“No.” Tony grumbled, stowing his flask in his back pocket before heading over to the console. The others had already gathered around, and most of them were avoiding his gaze. No one really knew how to interact with him these days. He didn't blame them for that. He didn't mind being left alone, anyway.

“I'm not sending you on this mission drunk.” Steve said sternly. “Not after what happened last time.”

“I'm not drunk!” Tony argued, fighting the slur. He wasn't really _drunk_ , per se. More like… very buzzed.

Steve shook his head and turned away with a sigh. He rarely bothered, these days. He knew it was a lost cause.

“Alright, listen up.” Steve called all to attention. “Aruoa-7 is a Fringe World a few hours jump from here. Sparsely populated, mostly farmers. It's currently under threat of Zerg invasion, and, as usual, the Dominion have ignored their call for help in evacuating the people.”

“We will be protecting the evacuation, then?” Thor guessed.

“Yes. We’ll need to provide the transport vehicles with an escort to get everyone to the dropships, and then defend the dropships as they leave the planet. I’m going to have each of you lead a squadron…”

Nothing new or special. They’d done missions like this dozens of times. It was becoming routine. Tony leaned against the console and rested his head against one of the computing towers with a sigh, not really listening to what Steve was saying. Fighting Zerg swarms always got him in an apathetic mood.

Rhodey stepped over to him. His movements were natural, now. The leg supports form-fitting and light as Tony improved on them over the years. Made them more comfortable to wear, less bulky. The response time was as close to a regular pair of legs as possible, but Tony continued to tinker and improve on them all the time.

“Why don't you just sit this one out?” Rhodey suggested softly.

“You know I can't do that.” Tony responded quietly. He rubbed his face, which was a bit warm from the alcohol coursing through him. “I'll feel a whole lot worse if I stay behind.”

Rhodey put a supportive hand on his shoulder. He knew there were no words he could say. He’d said them all. There was nothing he could do except remind Tony that he was here for him. Here to listen if Tony needed to talk, even though he knew. Even though he’d heard it all countless times before.

“Reports are saying this Zerg brood is behaving a bit differently from the usual.” Steve was saying. “They’re particularly coordinated. They went after grain silos and poisoned the livestock food supplies. There's a strange level of intelligence behind their attacks that hasn't been recorded to our knowledge before. So keep on high alert. Don't engage unless you're defending yourself or the evacuation.”

“If possible…” Bruce spoke up. “I’d like to set a side goal of collecting a few specimens from this brood. They may have evolved increased brain capacity. If we’re dealing with a more intelligent Zerg swarm, we need to know.”

Steve nodded. “Secondary priority, but we’ll do our best.” He glanced around the console. “Lets go save lives.”

 

The surface of Aruoa-7 was warm and muggy. Faceplates in power suits continuously needed to get wiped down from the moisture buildup, beads of water collecting on all non-absorbent surfaces. Some soldiers opted to lift their visors, getting annoyed by the constant upkeep. But then the humidity got inside their suits, which made the padding sticky. There was apparently no winning. ‘The colonists of the planet must be fish-people’, many of the soldiers muttered.

It was nighttime, and the stars were shining bright. All had their floodlamps on, scanning the areas in front of them. Tony marched along beside the transport vehicle as it made its way to the dropship evacuation zone. He was feeling a bit clearer after the several-hour ride here, and although part of him wished he’d brought his flask, he couldn't risk losing his edge in battle for the sake of his soldiers. They counted on him to hold his own, to give them orders, not stumble around the battlefield drunkenly. They had to travel through backroads lined with forest on either side, wherein anything could be hiding. Watching. Tony felt eyes on him the whole time. Sometimes shining his light in the trees produced what looked like eye reflections for a split second before they disappeared. It was unnerving. He really wished he had a drink.

The power armor he wore now was one of his more recent creations. He called it the Igor. This one was blue; a break from his usual color scheme. It was capable of extremely heavy lifting, but it was a lot less bulky than his old XLIX. Most of his newer suits were. He was working on compaction. More power, less suit. More flexibility. When he wasn't on a mission, he was busy in the workshop creating new designs. It was the only thing he could do with himself, these days.

Suddenly, a large cluster of Zerglings and Hydralisks burst from the bushes, screeching as they ran towards the transport.

“On the left!” Tony shouted. He turned his gauss rifle on them and fired. He caught one in the skull, but it's friend leapt over the tumbling body and straight at another Marine. The Marine shouted as he was bowled over, the creature tearing at his power armor. Tony was about to run to rescue him, but another Marine in the squadron got to him first, slicing through the Zergling with her bayonet.

“Protect the transport!” Tony yelled as he shot at a Hydralisk. The monster dodged his bullets and shot a volley of spines at him. Tony boost-jumped out of the way and fired at it with the beams he had installed on his gauntlets. The beam burned the creature’s flesh and caused it to scream and writhe in agony, and Tony shot it dead while it was distracted.

His squadron was making quick work of the ground Zerg, but suddenly the leaves in the trees rustled and out soared several Mutalisks. Lower bodies bent and ready to fire off their glaive wurms. Tony felt a chill run through him; felt a burning in his chest with the green flashes of memories from Azharu. He had scars to remember it by.

“Target designated.” Came the deep voice of one of the pair of Goliath pilots in the squadron. He locked onto the Mutalisks and opened fire, missiles screaming through the air. Several of them exploded, blood bursting out and spattering to the ground. The Marines shot at the remaining ones as the other Goliath navigated into range.

One of the Mutalisks broke through the barrage and headed straight for the transport vehicle.

Tony rocketed up into the air. By this point, he had solved the issue with the Reaper packs, and all of his suits, along with Sam’s and Rhodey’s, were capable of full flight now. This made him a dangerous and flexible weapon against all types of Zerg forms. He stretched his arms out and a powerful unibeam burst from the power core at the center of the suit’s chest; incinerating the Mutalisk.

As the burnt flesh remnants blew away in the wind, Tony gazed down at the scene below, casting his eyes wide. That's when he spotted something. He pulled up the long-distance night vision display on his visor.

A clearing, just past the forest edge, a little ways along the transport route. He could clearly see a Zerg Hive; a more advanced form of a Hatchery; stretching out from the ground. He could see the larvae spilling out and chrysalises pulsating. It was surrounded by a swarm of Zerglings, Hydralisks and Mutalisks.

Tony flew back down and hit the comm. “Cap? We have a problem.”

“Report.” Came Steve’s voice.

“There's a decently-sized Zerg force and a Hive coming up. We need to destroy the Hive if we want the rest of the transport vehicles to get through safely.”

“Can you push the transport along a different path?”

“This is the quickest route. If we start diverting transports, the Zerg will have more time to amass. We need to take care of this now, before the thing can birth too many soldiers.”

Steve was silent for a moment, thinking it over.

“Alright. Take some men with you but leave enough to defend the transport. I'll send backup your way.”

“Roger that.” Tony closed the comm and started designating some of his squadron on the UI. He opted to leave one of the Goliaths behind. “We’re on extermination duty, boys. The rest of you hang tight. Defend the civilians. Call if you need backup.” He heard a cacophony of confirmations, and started for the Zerg colony.

 

Strangely, as they got close enough to the Hive to see it, they weren't attacked right away. Considering it was the most important Zerg structure, no one ever got this close to a Hatchery without being attacked by its guard. It wasn't possible that they hadn't been spotted yet; they were even walking on Creep. Tony started to feel on edge, in the eerie silence.

Suddenly, a massive spine attached to a worm-like appendage exploded out of the ground, impaling one of his Marines with a scream and burst of blood.

Tony stared in shock, and another one burst out right next to him, and he barely jumped away in time. “Run!” He shouted.

Everyone sprang into action, running and dodging the spines as they burst out of the ground where the Marines had just been. Another Marine fell to their attack. The Goliath had taken damage on one of the feet, but still managed to sprint along. Tony had never seen these things before. Were they a new monster of the Zerg? Some new defense weapon from the Creep? A native Aruoa-7 beast? His mind ran at lightning speed as he dodged the attacks, running towards the Zerg colony.

That's when he spotted them.

Some strange Zerg structure he had never seen before. A powerful-looking, smooth, worm-like appendage stretched out of it like a tongue and burrowed into the ground. The flesh tone matched the spines. This was some new Zerg defensive structure. A subterranean, ground defense version of the Spore Colonies.

“Destroy those structures!” Tony shouted. “The spines are coming from them!”

The Goliath pilot immediate launched missiles in the direction of one of the structures. Several hit in a burst of blood and flesh, and the appendage went limp, the spine it was attached to further away falling flat on the ground where it had burst out from.

Tony launched into the air, soaring above the structures, firing strong beams down and burning them, weakening them. The other Marines quickly fired on them. Tony landed on the ground next to one and smashed into it with the powerful gauntlets of his suit until it went limp.

That was when the rest of the Zerg attacked.

The squadron was quickly surrounded by Zerglings, Hydralisks and Mutalisks. Countless more than Tony had seen from the air had burst from the ground. The Goliath started firing his missiles at the Mutalisks, and was hit by several glaive wurms, burning through the metal with their green slime. Tony shouted as he shot his gauss rifle, slashed with his bayonet, fired with his lasers; the monsters all around him. His suit was taking heavy damage, warnings blaring. One of the thrusters on his back burst when a Hydralisk spine impaled it. No more boosting to safety.

The squadron fought bravely, but they were fighting a losing battle. The Zerg were overwhelmingly ferocious, like they were hyped up on stims or something, and there were too few soldiers to fight them. They were dropping like flies, and it wasn't long until the Goliath was swarmed by Zerglings like ants on a carcass and brought to the ground, creatures clawing open the machine with a horrible metal screeching. Tony tried to shoot the monsters off of the Goliath, but there were too many. The pilot was dragged out and ripped to shreds before Tony’s horrified eyes.

Was this really it? A random Zerg colony in the middle of a nowhere planet in an unimportant battle? Was this how Tony was going to die? Knowing he hadn't done enough… not nearly enough…

That was when a massive burst of electricity arced in front of him, burning several Zerglings at once.

Tony turned to see Thor in his Marauder suit accompanied by a large force, and his despair turned to relief. He watched as Firebats scorched large swathes of Zerglings, Thor’s grenades took out several Hydralisks, and a fresh Goliath fired missiles at the Mutalisks.

“Thanks for the backup, buddy!” Tony cheered. Adrenaline pumping.

“I could not let you have all the fun!” Thor lifted his mask briefly to reveal his grin.

The tides were turning, now. The Zerg colony was losing. Carcasses littering the field. Structures gushing blood and bile. Several Marines and Firebats started firing on the larvae, chrysalises and Hive itself, the flesh bursting open, spilling guts. When the Hive was nothing but a pile of blood and gore, the last Zergling twitching dead, the soldiers cheered. They’d won. Those who survived the initial attack, the ones who thought they were going to die, were euphoric.

“Great work, everyone.” Tony smiled. “Let's get back to the tra-”

Suddenly, an overpowering feeling shot into everyone in the area, a strange feeling that made their hair stand on end, made them grit their teeth. A powerful crackling in the air, like an electrical storm. They all felt a buzzing in the backs of their heads.

‘ _I was using that._ ’ A horrible voice slithered into all their minds. An alien tone, choppy, sounded like dozens of voices speaking at once. A chill went up Tony’s spine and he looked around wildly.

That's when he saw it.

Something almost human drifted down from the sky, stars illuminating its silhouette. It was dark blue in color, with some lighter blue sections. It had massive, bony wings as big as it's body with membranes that didn't look capable of sustaining the hovering flight the monster was doing. The toes and fingers were clawed. Sharp carapace lined muscular tissue. Hair was some kind of hard, keratin dreadlocks. Ears were pointed. A pair of horns protruded from its head.Its eyes were blood red, crimson smoke flowing out of them like a pair of erupting volcanoes.

But its face…

Its face was still human.

And familiar.

When it dawned on him, Tony felt like his heart had been stabbed straight through by a Hydralisk talon. Ears ringing. Mind separating from body. Head cracked in two.

It was impossible. _Impossible_.

“ _Loki?!_ ” Tony choked.

The monster that bore a hellish mockery of Loki's face grinned maliciously, sharp teeth glinting in the light. The voice that came from that mouth was barely recognizable.

“Hello, Stark.”

 

**Warning: class 12 Psionic Waveform detected…**

  
([Full Image](https://i.ibb.co/mBYRvgz/godofblades3.png))

 

_To be continued..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, and for your comments and support! They truly mean a lot to me, and inspire me to keep writing. I really hope you enjoyed the first half of this 2-part series, let me know what you thought so far!
> 
> You can expect the first chapter of **Infested: God of Blades** within the next few weeks. I've got galaxy-sized plans for it, and you can look forward to additional Starcraft versions of some more of all our favorite MCU characters; including a fun twist on Carol Danvers!
> 
> Until then!


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